As the back-to-school checklist grows, one detail that parents and caregivers should prioritize is ensuring all children have their appropriate vaccines. Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Kim Barbel Johnson says the HPV vaccine should be part of…

Carolyn Hax is away. The following first appeared June 17, 2009. Dear Carolyn: I am the oldest of five siblings. My younger sister is 27. She is a new mother of a 9-month-old. I have…

California is home to black bears, so it shouldn’t be a surprise if you run into one while you’re out hiking or camping — or if they show up rummaging around your lawn. On Monday,…

Extreme heat, drought, torrential rains, and hungry critters may be wreaking havoc on your garden. After weeding, watering, and waiting you may be finding less, diseased, or misshapen tomatoes. Don’t give up. Make a few…

Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: I find myself feeling really annoyed at people who are in a private business who request tips on top of services for which they already receive the full,…

Dear Carolyn: I have decided to give a sizable cash gift to each of my children and their spouses each year. My son and daughter-in-law have already told me what they are going to spend…

We asked readers to channel their inner Carolyn Hax and answer this question. Some of the best responses are below. Dear Carolyn: My family (husband, two kids 11 and 14) moved into our house 10…

Dear Carolyn: I can’t seem to take what my friends want to give me (or not) without weighing what I have given them. And I am unduly depressed if they don’t measure up. Recently, a…

Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: No question, just at a loss. A friend passed away today, much too young, from a cruel and heartless disease that just ravaged her body right up until…

Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: Recently my girlfriend and I attended a family gathering. Afterward, I was set to go to a close friend’s house party. My girlfriend could have gone, but she…