Dear Abby: My niece makes inappropriate posts about her dad and mom

Dear Abby: I bought permission from my estranged brother to ask his 17-year-old daughter, “Ella,” to spend a month with my household this summer season. We stay on the East Coast, and she or he lives on the West Coast. 

Ella is about to graduate from highschool and has had a tough residence life and relationship together with her dad and stepmother. After making her journey preparations, I got here throughout latest social media posts that my niece wrote disparaging her father. I’m in no place to self-discipline or choose her, however I felt that I needed to say one thing so she is aware of that I don’t condone what she has performed.

I’m now second-guessing whether or not it’s a good suggestion to have Ella round my 13- and 9-year-old kids this summer season. I informed her the next: “I hadn’t seen your post about your father and stepmother. As a loving adult, I want you to know I think it’s very inappropriate. These kinds of postings tend to reflect more about the person posting than the people the post is about. For your own good, you should know that you, too, may be judged for what you have done — if not now, possibly in the future when you least want or expect it.” 

Ella didn’t reply to me and continues to jot down extra disrespectful posts. Should I say something extra? I don’t suppose my brother is aware of in regards to the posts, although my niece complained on-line about his having “hacked” her accounts. — Having Second Thoughts

Dear Second Thoughts: I want you had talked about the explanation to your estrangement out of your brother. Contact him and ask if he’s conscious of the feedback Ella has posted and continues to publish. If he’s unaware, it is best to alert him. The selection of whether or not to cancel your niece’s go to is as much as you, however from the place I sit, she seems to be an sad woman who may use a break from Dad.

Dear Abby: I’m a 63-year-old lady who retired about eight years in the past. I’ve determined to return into the workforce — nothing big, only a job to allow me to maintain up with rising prices and to set some cash apart. My downside is that everybody desires you to use on-line. 

I am going on-line to search for work, I discover one thing of curiosity, I click on on it, and it takes me to a sign-in web page for some kind of job website (similar to Monster or Indeed). I fill out my info, after which I get a complete listing of jobs, none of that are the one I initially clicked on. I’ve by no means had this a lot hassle discovering a job. Any recommendation could be welcome. I’m working out of choices. — Willing to Work

Dear Willing to Work: Applying by means of these on-line job websites can really feel like speaking to a wall. Since you aren’t on the lookout for something fancy, the old style method may fit higher. Check the bulletin boards of group facilities, senior facilities, native schools, libraries and related institutions. When you might be out and about, hold your eyes peeled for “help wanted” notices. If you end up close to a spot you’d wish to work, it may’t damage to cease in and ask in the event that they need assistance. Also, don’t overlook the categorized advertisements in your native newspaper!

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren. For almost 4 a long time, Jeanne Phillips penned the column, which was based in 1956 by her mom, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 270135, Kansas City, MO 64127.