DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My sister-in-law is always complaining about how hard it is to get clothes for her nine-year-old daughter that aren’t “slutty.” I agree a lot of what is out there is adult and not very kid looking.

I picked up a bunch of back-to-school outfits for my niece that seemed age-appropriate and practical.

I get to my brother’s house nearly every week after I get off work, usually right around when the kids are getting off the bus, and I have yet to see anything I gave her being worn by my niece.

Do you think her mother or my niece is to blame for rejecting my clothes? I was thinking of getting her a few more things for when the weather gets cooler, but I do not want to waste my time or my money if they aren’t going to be worn. --- SEEMED RIGHT TO ME

DEAR SEEMED RIGHT TO ME: While I can’t say why your niece isn’t wearing the clothing you gave her, I will suggest that moving forward rather than making best-intentioned guesses, it would be far better to directly ask your sister-in-law and niece what’s still needed as she settles into the school year.

Kids your niece’s age often like to decide for themselves what works best for them. Perhaps instead of clothing, you could help out by covering any outstanding required or desired school supplies or accessories (binders, folders, computer sleeve/cover, etc.), which your niece can tailor to her own tastes.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: A long time ago my husband had a huge falling out with his family. They are all about money, status, and appearances and he is into standing on his own and making his way in the world, regardless of being ultra-rich or successful.

We found out his favorite Auntie, one of the only people in the family who stood up for him when he made decisions the rest of them did not like, died just after Labor Day. No one bothered to reach out to him to let him know about her death. He would most certainly have attended her funeral, even though it would have meant seeing a lot of people who hate him and never hesitate to let him know how they feel. We found out about her passing from an old neighbor of his aunt’s we ran into not long after the funeral.

My husband is not obnoxious or a criminal or in any way a bad person. The family he used to care about has deeply hurt him just because he does not want to live their life.

What gives any family the right to block out one of their own just because that person does not follow their rules? How is that even a real family? --- WIFE OF SHUT OUT

DEAR WIFE OF SHUT OUT: It’s never good to hear these kinds of stories about the ugly side of family politics, and in too many cases there are those families set on punishing members who disappoint them in some way.

Whether not notifying your husband of his aunt’s death was done vindictively or merely out of a habit of non-communication, it’s unfortunate your husband wasn’t allowed to pay his respects to someone he cared for.

Estrangement takes a toll on everyone involved. At some point, if that point hasn’t already come, in order for your husband to move past the pain of his family’s treatment of him, my guess is he’ll make a difficult decision about whether it will help him more to attempt to close the chasm or to accept the rupture is permanent.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I met a guy on Tinder and we started talking five months after I broke up with my old boyfriend. I was with my ex-boyfriend through the last two years of college and for the first year after we graduated. Then I found out he was interested in someone he met at work. Nothing happened with her until we were not together anymore, but it did happen quickly after we ended things.

Unlike my ex, I waited a few months to start looking around, and when I connected with the guy I am with now, I still took my time to make sure he was boyfriend material.

Things seemed to be going fine until he told me he isn’t really into exclusive relationships. That’s when he told me that even though he really likes me, he has been seeing someone else too from almost the start of when we got together.

I really like this guy, and after being in a long-term relationship for a few years straight, I am actually not sure I am ready to get too deeply involved with a new guy, but I also know the open thing feels uncomfortable to me.

If I am not sure what I want, do you think open’s actually the way to go? --- UNDECIDED

DEAR UNDECIDED: If you’re not ready to jump into a committed relationship right now, then going out with someone who shares that frame of mind may make some sense.

However, you expressed that you’re not entirely comfortable with an open arrangement. If you find you’re getting stronger feelings for this new man than he’s demonstrating he has for you, I think you’d be better in the long run taking your time and finding someone you click with and who isn’t concurrently clicking with other people.