Dear Queenie,

Since my teenage daughter got her own cellphone she is always concentrating on its apps and doesn’t have any attention for the outside world. She hardly even talks to you unless it’s on the phone.

Queenie, what do you have to say about this?—Worried parent

Dear Parent,

This is common behaviour for teenagers, but often they take it too far and parents have to intervene. For one thing, you can insist that your daughter’s cellphone be turned off and/or put away during family dinners and other such family occasions.

Dear Queenie,

My husband and I do a lot of things with our families, but my husband has a habit of making plans for these get-togethers without talking to me about it.

Queenie, am I wrong to want him to talk to me about it before he makes such plans?—Vexed wife

Dear Wife,

Your husband is not being thoughtful of your feelings. He also ignores the possibility that you may have some ideas about whatever get-together he is planning. He should discuss such matters with you before he makes plans with anyone else.

Dear Queenie,

If you are a guest at a wedding, not part of the wedding party, is it okay to wear a silver-colored dress, or is silver too much like white?—Wedding guest Etty Ket

Dear Etty Ket,

The rule of etiquette is that a guest should not wear anything that might take attention away from the bride. If your dress is silver lame or covered in silver sequins, it would be better to wear something that is not so noticeable.

Dear Queenie,

My wife and I have been married for several years and we have a baby son. I work, my wife is a stay-at-home mother.

I used to play sports several nights a week, but since the baby came I have cut it down to just once, but my wife still gets vexed when I do anything away from her and the baby except going to work. She used to come to my games, but not any more even though there are friends of hers who come to see them. She even doesn’t like it when my friends come to the house to see me if they stay more than a few minutes.

Queenie, is it wrong of me to want to play sports and see my friends?—Harassed husband

Dear Husband,

You should not become isolated from the rest of the world because you are married and a parent, and neither should your wife. Your wife may be jealous of your outside interests because she feels trapped at home taking care of the baby and you are her only adult companion.

If you could take care of the baby one or two nights a week while she takes a break and goes out to see friends and/or family, or even has them come to your house to see her, it might help a lot.

If you cannot agree on something like this, I recommend (as usual) professional counselling.