Philip Galanes
Posts
Can I Tell My Sister That Her Estranged Son Is a New Father?
A reader is unsure whether to insert herself into three years of icy silence by sharing a major development in her nephew’s life with his...
How Could My Friend Give My Child Melatonin Without My Permission?
A reader was shocked and infuriated when she wasn’t consulted before her 10-year-old was given a melatonin supplement at a sleepover.
Can I Confront the Woman Who Stole My Late Sister’s Evening Gowns?
A grieving reader was shocked when dresses that her sister had set aside for her were taken by a friend just days after her sister’s...
Why Do My In-Laws Help Their Daughter With Her Children, but Not Me?
A reader bristles at the child care that her mother-in-law provides for her wealthy daughter, who the reader doesn’t think needs free help as much...
Why Can’t I Forgive My Husband for Dropping Our Senior Dog?
A reader is struggling with feelings of resentment toward her husband, whom she accused of imposing a “death sentence” when their pet was paralyzed in...
Why Is My Brother So Angry That I Changed Tables at His Son’s Wedding?
A reader abandoned the family table at her nephew’s wedding to join her sister at a lesser table, upsetting the groom’s father. Should she apologize...
How Can I Tell My Elderly Mother That She Can’t Live With Me?
A reader still picking up the pieces after a recent divorce is wrestling with guilt for not wanting to take his mother in, knowing she...
Why Do I Have to Choose Between My Grandmother’s Funeral and a Birthday Party?
A reader’s brother-in-law is insisting that she accompany her children to his 1-year-old’s birthday party, even though attending would require her to miss an important...
Why Are My Parents Handling College Costs So Differently for My Sibling?
A reader who was made to choose a college based on price is struggling to understand her parents’ support of her younger sister at an...
Why Did My Wife’s Sister Confess to Taking Her Clothes 50 Years Later?
Stung by the revelation that her sister frequently took her clothing without permission in their youth, a reader is baffled by the disclosure: Was it...