A reader has come to dread phone calls from her mother, whose deep unhappiness she attributes to life with her “textbook narcissist” stepfather.
Category: Families and Family Life
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How Has Being Perpetually Single Affected Your Life?
We want to hear from women over the age of 30 who feel as if they have not yet had a meaningful relationship for a New York Times Magazine feature.
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Should I Attend My Estranged Mother’s Funeral?
Ask the Therapist columnist Lori Gottlieb advises a reader who is torn between protecting his peace and paying his respects.
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At Tanglewood, Making Classical Music Normal for Children
In recent years, Tanglewood has become visibly more welcoming to its youngest audiences. Just ask this critic’s three kids.
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Tiny Love Stories: ‘He Insisted on Keeping Things Casual ’
Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.
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When Siblings Go ‘No Contact’
Family estrangement can bring up big, difficult emotions, and it’s not always about parents and children.
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Why Is My Family Avoiding Me After I Cut Off Contact With My Father?
A reader is eager to revive his relationships with his mother and younger brother, which have been on ice ever since he set a firm boundary with his abusive father.
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What Life Is Like for Four Young Adults Supporting Their Aging Parents
Most young adults don’t expect to support their aging parents. Here’s what happened when four people had to.
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Do We Have to Thank My Brother-in-Law for His Gifts if We Hate His Politics?
A couple’s passive efforts to keep a relative at arm’s length, like quietly donating his gifts to charity, are not being received as intended.
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If I Don’t Invite My Difficult Sister to Visit, Can I Invite the One Who’s Less Trouble?
A reader doesn’t have the energy to host a sister whose young children caused a ruckus during their last visit. Does that mean she can’t see the other?
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My Brother and I Don’t Speak. How Can I Fix This?
Ask the Therapist columnist Lori Gottlieb advises a reader who wants to reconnect with his sibling after they fell out over money.