Dear LFTP: proper etiquette after the passing of a loved one
- What is proper etiquette after the passing of a loved one when news spreads on social media?
A listener asks about etiquette after a family death: within an hour of the passing, the news was all over social media and relatives learned about it from non-family posts. The hosts say restraint is key — always wait for the family to make the announcement, share the family's post rather than breaking the news yourself, and offer condolences privately instead of performing them in front of a thousand friends. They grant grace for people grieving out loud without thinking, and one host recalls being in the hospital room when Boova's dad passed away and being unsure he handled it well himself. The Secular answer says news travels like wildfire, the leaker should have asked for the news to stay private until family was informed, and apologies are in order.
More on Family
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Dear LFTP: the mother-in-law moved in
- My mother-in-law moved in seven months ago and it’s been difficult — how can we sort this out?
The last letter comes from a wife whose mother-in-law moved in seven months ago with no boundaries, rising bills, unpaid prescriptions, and open disrespect.
From No. 604 · Rearview Mirror
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Dear LFTP: the single man and the holiday cliques
- Would it be wrong for the lonely single man to start declining holiday invitations?
The first Dear LFTP letter: a single man, happy with his life and plenty of friends and family, dreads the holidays — at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings of 15 to 25 people,…
From No. 603 · Found Out
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Dear LFTP: the grandma, 'Libby,' and the weight comment
- Was I wrong to mention my concern about Libby's weight?
Mike reads the letter: she moved 2,000 miles to be near her daughter's family; granddaughter 'Libby' was diagnosed with a medical condition and put on weight.
From No. 602 · Relationship Counseling
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Dear LFTP: the Mimi letter ('Call Me Hoopi')
- Is it wrong for a grandmother to be upset when her grandson's other grandmother claims the same nickname?
Mike reads the Dear LFTP letter: a grandmother whose two-year-old grandson calls her Mimi — but the other grandmother claimed Mimi for herself, and the daughter-in-law is annoyed and doesn't want 'mom mom' either.