When Your Dad Dates Your Best Friend: A Complicated Love Story

A 26-year-old person is struggling with a strange situation. Their 56-year-old widowed dad started dating their childhood best friend, Corinne. At first, it seemed innocent. They had coffee, enjoyed each other's company, and things progressed. Now, six months later, the relationship is serious, and the dad and Corinne have told the family about it. The person writing is happy their dad found someone to love. But, they also feel a strong sense of discomfort. The age gap is significant, and the fact that Corinne was once their best friend makes it even more complicated. They want to handle this maturely but are not sure how to deal with their feelings. The advice they received was to accept their complicated feelings. Everyone involved is an adult, so it's best to stay out of their relationship. It's likely that Corinne will eventually move on to someone closer to her own age. There's no need to worry about her becoming a stepmother. In another situation, a person in their mid-20s is dealing with a boss who seems to be an alcoholic. The boss often invites young female co-workers out for drinks. The person doesn't want to be around their boss when alcohol is involved. They are hesitant to voice their discomfort because their co-workers think the boss is funny and like that he pays for drinks. The advice given was to send a letter to the appropriate people up the ladder. The letter should explain how alcohol is affecting the propriety and productivity of the office. The person should stick to the facts and say they are concerned about having a supervisor who is sometimes impaired. In a different scenario, a married man with two teenage daughters is dealing with a neighbor who has asked them to dress more modestly. The neighbor's sons have been watching the daughters from a bedroom window. The neighbor thinks the daughters' clothing is too revealing and wants them to cover up more. The advice given was to make it clear to the neighbor that the obligation to be neighborly does not require leading his boys from temptation. The neighbor is out of line for making clothing suggestions. In another situation, a person asked about a friend's adopted child in front of the child. The friends reacted harshly and changed the topic. The next day, the person received an email from the friend saying they were out of line and wanted an apology. The person was unaware that the child had not been told about the adoption. The advice given was to apologize, even if the person doesn't feel they did anything wrong. The friends are clearly sensitive about the topic and the person's question caused them distress.