Advice - The Washington Post

(Illustration by Nick Galifianakis for The Washington Post)

October 15

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Latest Advice

Carolyn Hax: Spouse is aware of husband’s affair and ‘not really bothered by it’

By Carolyn Hax5 hours ago

Miss Manners: I’m annoyed my rich relatives won’t donate to a friend’s fundraiser

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin5 hours ago

Asking Eric: Mom is heartbroken gay son won’t forgive parents for past mistakes

By R. Eric Thomas5 hours ago

Carolyn Hax: Mom pesters adult son about his budding online romance

By Carolyn HaxYesterday

Asking Eric: Friend’s drinking and smoking are fracturing our relationship

By R. Eric ThomasYesterday

Miss Manners: Cashier’s congrats for pregnancy test purchase is out of bounds

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinYesterday

Asking Eric: ‘Helpful’ neighbors are making ageist assumptions

By R. Eric Thomas2 days ago

Carolyn Hax: ‘Bridezilla’ learns her bridal party is mocking her behind her back

By Carolyn Hax2 days ago

Carolyn Hax: Bride weighed down by budget wedding after brother’s big splash

By Carolyn Hax3 days ago

Miss Manners: Daughter won’t agree to open bar at her wedding

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin3 days ago

Asking Eric: Readers respond to a letter writer who swore off dating

By R. Eric Thomas3 days ago

Miss Manners: Does quitting social media mean losing friends?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin4 days ago

Carolyn Hax: His depression broke them up, but his heart wants a second chance

By Carolyn Hax4 days ago

Asking Eric: Husband doesn’t approve of wife’s new friends

By R. Eric Thomas4 days ago

Does trip to see Taylor Swift have strings attached? Give advice to this Hax question.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben Kelati5 days ago

Ask Sahaj: I’m dreading celebrating my emotionally manipulative mom’s birthday

By Sahaj Kaur Kohli5 days ago

Work Advice: Is MAGA-like swag funny, or a PR disaster?

By Karla L. Miller5 days ago

Asking Eric: Mom is disappointed her son spends more time with in-laws

By R. Eric Thomas5 days ago

Carolyn Hax: Just found out once-close brother is getting married today

By Carolyn Hax5 days ago

Miss Manners: ‘Am I obliged to dislike people my longtime partner dislikes?’

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin5 days ago

Featured Writers

Carolyn Hax

Carolyn Hax writes a daily advice column for The Washington Post and has a weekly live online discussion.

Ask Carolyn a question

Sahaj Kaur Kohli

Sahaj Kaur Kohli is a therapist and the creator of Brown Girl Therapy.

Ask Sahaj a question

Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth writes the Ask Elaine advice column for The Washington Post.

Ask Elaine a question

Karla L. Miller

Karla L. Miller offers weekly advice on workplace dramas and traumas.

Ask Karla a question

Need advice? Join columnist Carolyn Hax’s weekly chat (October 25 | 12 p.m. ET)

Advice columnist Carolyn Hax answers your questions about the strange train we call life.

Friday, October 25, at 12 p.m. EDT

More live chats

(Illustration by Nick Galifianakis for The Washington Post)

Carolyn Hax: Mom pesters adult son about his budding online romance

A mom thinks her son’s interest in a woman he met online is “ridiculous” and wonders why he won’t just date someone local.

October 14

Carolyn Hax: ‘Bridezilla’ learns her bridal party is mocking her behind her back

October 13

Carolyn Hax: Bride weighed down by budget wedding after brother’s big splash

October 12

Carolyn Hax: His depression broke them up, but his heart wants a second chance

October 11

Does trip to see Taylor Swift have strings attached? Give advice to this Hax question.

October 10

Carolyn Hax archives

The Best of Carolyn Hax

Recent Carolyn Hax Live Chats

Carolyn Hax chat: She got dressed up, but her mother said she looked ‘awful’

October 4

Carolyn Hax chat: ‘My wife’s brother told her he hates me’

September 27

Carolyn Hax chat: My husband’s restrictive diet is making me resentful

September 20

Carolyn Hax chat: My 17-year-old is dating a 14-year-old. Her parents don’t approve.

September 6

More Carolyn Hax chats

NewsletterFRIDAYS

Carolyn Hax’s live Q&A: Sign up to get an email alert when Carolyn Hax’s weekly advice Q&A begins each Friday.

Asking Eric: Mom is heartbroken gay son won’t forgive parents for past mistakes

A mom is heartbroken that her relationship with her son and his husband is fractured over a previous mistake.

October 15

Asking Eric: Friend’s drinking and smoking are fracturing our relationship

October 14

Asking Eric: ‘Helpful’ neighbors are making ageist assumptions

October 13

Asking Eric: Readers respond to a letter writer who swore off dating

October 12

Asking Eric archive

Miss Manners: I’m annoyed my rich relatives won’t donate to a friend’s fundraiser

A letter writer is bothered that their wealthy relatives haven’t donated to help their friend’s ailing daughter.

October 15

Miss Manners: Cashier’s congrats for pregnancy test purchase is out of bounds

October 14

Miss Manners: Daughter won’t agree to open bar at her wedding

October 12

Miss Manners: Does quitting social media mean losing friends?

October 11

Miss Manners archive

Ask Sahaj: I’m dreading celebrating my emotionally manipulative mom’s birthday

The letter writer moved across the country to escape mom’s “emotional hijacking” and dreads visiting home for her birthday.

October 10

Ask Sahaj: Mother-in-law hides her gay son’s husband from the extended family

October 3

Ask Sahaj: My daughter is a harsh parent. I’m worried for my granddaughter.

September 26

Ask Sahaj: Boyfriend’s family uses racial slurs in front of biracial girlfriend

September 19

Ask Sahaj archives

Ask Elaine: I’ve been crying for days over what my boyfriend’s mom said about race

An Afro-Latina grad student and her boyfriend have dated for almost a year, but his mom’s comments about white supremacy make her want to “escape this racist family.”

September 24

Ask Elaine: Is it a bad idea to interview for a new job in my third trimester?

August 27

Ask Elaine: I’m too ashamed to face a friend after our argument

July 30

Ask Elaine: My daughter-in-law keeps asking me about my son’s flaws

June 25

Ask Elaine archives

More Parenting Advice

(Illustration by María Alconada Brooks/The Washington Post; iStock)

How do I get my 14-year-old daughter to open up to me about her love life?

A parent looks for ways to encourage their 14-year-old to open up more about her struggles.

July 24

Other parents get upset with how my 11-year-old interacts with their kids

July 17

How do we start having family meetings with our 8-year-old?

July 10

How do I get my husband to understand our baby isn’t ‘crying for attention’?

July 3

Parenting advice archive

More Work Advice

A vendor holds two “Make America Great Again” hats. (iStock/Getty Images)

Work Advice: Is MAGA-like swag funny, or a PR disaster?

Our conservative CEO thinks clients at a trade show will find our Trump-alluding swag funny. I’m not so sure.

October 10

Work Advice: How honest should a reference be for a laid-off employee?

October 3

Work Advice: She pushed for a bigger role. Now she pushes people around.

September 26

Work Advice: How to tell a retirement-age colleague she’s making mistakes

September 19

Work advice archive

Son moved away for school. His dad blames me. Hax readers give advice.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben KelatiWednesday, October 9

How do I educate my 6-year-old about politics and the election?

By Meghan LeahyWednesday, October 9

Miss Manners: My relatives are doing ‘free refills’ wrong

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinWednesday, October 9

Carolyn Hax: Fiancé’s family complains often about the other ‘in-law women’

By Carolyn HaxWednesday, October 9

Asking Eric: Aunt’s secret story about sister haunts niece

By R. Eric ThomasWednesday, October 9

Carolyn Hax: When a grandma demands to be Mama and the real mama says no

By Carolyn HaxTuesday, October 8

Asking Eric: Imprisoned nephew wants family connection again

By R. Eric ThomasTuesday, October 8

Miss Manners: Was I wrong to bring my wife to an embassy party?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinTuesday, October 8

Miss Manners: Why can’t people just say thank you?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinMonday, October 7

Asking Eric: Friends wants to confront poker pal over prejudice

By R. Eric ThomasMonday, October 7

Carolyn Hax: Late 20s and facing societal pressures to settle down

By Carolyn HaxMonday, October 7

Carolyn Hax: Controlling brother-in-law is obsessed with phone use on vacation

By Carolyn HaxSunday, October 6

Asking Eric: Boyfriend’s smell is a dealbreaker

By R. Eric ThomasSunday, October 6

Asking Eric: Friends ask about son’s health; mom doesn’t know how much to say

By R. Eric ThomasSaturday, October 5

Miss Manners: My friend always critiques restaurant staff

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinSaturday, October 5

Carolyn Hax: What to make of a date who policed a coffee-order pickup?

By Carolyn HaxSaturday, October 5

Asking Eric: My brother and his wife are rude and entitled guests

By R. Eric ThomasFriday, October 4

Carolyn Hax: Name they chose for baby they lost was just given to newborn niece

By Carolyn HaxFriday, October 4

Miss Manners: A theatergoer blocked my view with her hairstyle

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinFriday, October 4

Son moved away for school. His dad blames me. Give advice to this Hax question.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben KelatiThursday, October 3

Ask Sahaj: Mother-in-law hides her gay son’s husband from the extended family

By Sahaj Kaur KohliThursday, October 3

Work Advice: How honest should a reference be for a laid-off employee?

By Karla L. MillerThursday, October 3

Miss Manners: Should you offer to pay friends for hosting a season-long tailgate?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinThursday, October 3

Asking Eric: Daughter ghosted after $50,000 loan

By R. Eric ThomasThursday, October 3