Our only child, a son, died more than five years ago, and we brought a wrongful death lawsuit to support his daughter—our only grandchild—and to hold those responsible accountable. The court awarded over $1 million to our eight-year-old granddaughter and appointed my husband the executor over the trust. Since then, our granddaughter’s mother has accused us of taking money from her child, threatened legal action, and implied we could lose our relationship with our granddaughter. We never pursued this for personal gain and are devastated by the possibility of being cut off from her. We would appreciate advice on how to handle this situation.

How do I deal with a teenager who went on a date without my consent and didn’t come home until the next day? Attempts to talk with her haven’t worked, and I’ve also learned that she smokes. I want her to make better choices and know I’m a safe person to talk to, but I’m struggling to have a productive conversation or influence her behavior. What’s the best way to approach this?

I received a job offer from a company that recruited me, but compensation wasn’t discussed until the offer arrived—and it matched my current salary, despite the new role being in a much higher-cost city. When I asked HR about it, the response was aggressive (“If you don’t want it, we’ll bring someone else”). I ended the conversation by saying I’d think about it, but I’m unhappy with both the compensation and how HR handled the discussion. I still want the job and see it as a smart career move. Should I raise this with the hiring manager, and how should I approach that conversation, given that I’ve been told HR controls the budget?

Our owner and her twin sister seem to think that yelling, threatening, and showing no empathy for employees will get people to reduce errors and work harder. How can I help them know the opposite is actually happening?

I’ve made so many bad choices in the past that I’m in prison now. I love my daughter, and she is really hurt and angry with me. How do I build a relationship with her?

My brother is sixty-one and lost his wife ten months ago. He has now bottomed out. I have no idea how to help him. I listen, say what I can. I think he would benefit from grief counseling. He seems to be unable to move forward. He has no children. Is there anything I can do?

Last year I developed a severe drinking problem that negatively affected both my kids, especially my nine-year-old son. He stayed with his dad while I was in rehab. I’m clean and sober now, but he still won’t stay with me, and I’m crushed by this. How can I rebuild trust with him?