Dear Abby: My daughter talks about her husband in a rude manner and I don’t want to get involved

An advice columnist told a mother that there is no universal rule against her adult daughter discussing ordinary marital frustrations with a parent. Since the mother does not want to hear the complaints but her husband is comfortable listening, the columnist said the arrangement can work, provided they do not discuss it in her presence.

The column also answered two other readers. It suggested motion-sensing light switches for a couple who argue over lights being left on, and said a late husband’s engagement ring should be returned to its owner or set aside for the couple’s child; the separate diamond-and-emerald band could be requested back, though the etiquette advice may differ from the law.