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I'm feeling really miffed by the way my (mostly wonderful) therapist of 4+ years has handled a recent situation of mine, and wondering if I should bring it up in our next session. I don't want to rock the boat, but I also feel like it would be almost absurd not to bring it up, if only to let them know that this is uncool for future situations with patients. [more inside]
posted by knotty knots at 9:14 PM - 24 answers

I need assistance from a specific person at a business. This person, for whatever reason, dislikes me. How can I convince someone to help me when they clearly don't want to? [more inside]
posted by robot inside a grid at 7:16 PM - 14 answers

So, this is something that's come up lately with my parents. They're very conservative and I am not. Sometimes they say some things that are shocking for me to hear and I can't stand it. Lately I've been realizing that I'm the opposite of what they are. [more inside]
posted by Tarsonis10 at 6:26 PM - 15 answers

Thinking about how the US baseball championship is in no way a World Series - we don't even play Japan. And that India or Australia might actually like baseball if they tried it. So help me name teams around the globe, guidelines inside. [more inside]
posted by bartleby at 4:50 PM - 16 answers

I never wanted to wait until my mid/late 30s to get married and have kids, but... that’s what is happening to me. Help me feel better about it? [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 10:41 PM - 47 answers

Partner works for the government and is in a position to retire in their late 40's with a full pension. Partner plans to take this option and wants to set up life so that they have no major bills and can live a life of near-complete freedom and leisure. It is making it impossible for us to contemplate moving out of a small condo and into a home with more space for a family. Partner simply will not entertain the idea of having a mortgage. I tried pointing out the ways in which the lifestyle they are imagining for themself is not realistic for anyone but the wealthy. Partner did not take it well, and I don't know how to communicate with them further about these big and important decisions. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:23 PM - 45 answers

As every reader of Miss Manners knows, it's rude to point out the rudeness of others. But what about when someone is being pandemically rude? [more inside]
posted by eirias at 10:56 AM - 21 answers

I find it incredibly frustrating that my 61-year-old mother can't seem to answer any question that requires her to explain a thought, feeling, or emotion. [more inside]
posted by 8LeggedFriend at 5:00 PM - 42 answers

I have been estranged from a family member for over 15 years. Over this time they've stalked me and other members of my family, and I've been very clear that we do not want any kind of contact. The estrangement had been working until today. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:00 PM - 9 answers

Can I bring homemade pesto to a small gathering? Details after the jump. [more inside]
posted by WalkerWestridge at 11:50 AM - 14 answers

I'm looking for personal stories of how you navigated the time in between when the possibility of divorce was broached, and it happened (or didn't). How long did this time go on? Was couples therapy involved? Do you have any tips? Personal situation within. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:28 AM - 13 answers

My son's teachers sent home some photos of his class and it appeared that several students weren't wearing masks and weren't socially distanced. I'd like to bring this up in an email to the teachers, but I'm struggling how to phrase it. [more inside]
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 9:02 AM - 6 answers

Dear All, the title says it all. This is another break up question that focuses more on the how of grieving the loss of a relationship, and the difficulties that come along with remembering the tender moments. It does not help that i have a really sharp and stubborn memory where i remember things even from years ago vividly. [more inside]
posted by eustaciavye87 at 9:53 PM - 11 answers

My husband and I have had a tough start to marriage, primarily due to lots of difficult external circumstances. We decided to get marriage counseling as this experience has revealed some underlying communication issues that we want to work on. During our first session of marriage counseling, the counselor asked specifically about our sex life. My husband replied that it was "fine". When the counselor asked him to elaborate, he said that he's had stronger sexual connections with other previous partners, but he's fine with how things are sexually between us. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:40 PM - 35 answers

In the coming days/weeks I will be unusually likely to cross paths with firefighters and other professional "helpers" who, among other acts of valor, saved my house and my community at no little cost to themselves. Many of them continue to circulate in my neighborhood to answer questions, provide reassurance and solve technical issues associated with the original emergency. I need to know how to properly acknowledge them and appropriately express the overwhelming feelings of gratitude and awe I am experiencing right now. [more inside]
posted by flowergrrrl at 2:55 PM - 12 answers

Please recommend the best research-based books about parenting young children. I'm particularly interested in research about temperament and "goodness of fit" between parents and children, but any books about very young children that are based on current psychological or neurodevelopmental science are welcome.
posted by epanalepsis at 1:04 PM - 6 answers

Since my parents moved closer, they’ve been criticising my choices non-stop and showing blatant favouritism to my sibling. I’m realising that the relationship I thought I had with them was glossed over due to distance and I’m struggling to come to terms with the changes without causing irreparable damage to the relationship. [more inside]
posted by Riverside at 4:22 PM - 14 answers

Dear askmefites, I’d like to have a Thanksgiving in these pandemic times that I’ll be grateful for, not regretful of, so could you please check my thinking and help me navigate social expectations around forming a family bubble for the holiday? [more inside]
posted by starelephant at 1:23 PM - 13 answers

My daughter is immunosuppressed, and is really struggling with the isolating we are having to do, especially as we move into winter and her opportunities for outdoor meet-ups are going to become more scarce. [more inside]
posted by fizban at 3:04 PM - 4 answers

You, a relationship-minded person, took a break from dating in order to grow as a person, and it worked. Tell me your story. [more inside]
posted by Amy93 at 8:52 PM - 19 answers