There are too many excellent advice columns to keep up with, so we're committed to bringing you links to the best advice column questions and answers every week. Here's a roundup of the most interesting, thought-provoking and surprising questions that our favorite columnists addressed in recent days.

How Can I Get My Husband To Understand Why I Don’t Want His Mom, Dad, Sister And Grandmother To Watch Me Give Birth?

I’m 8 1/2 months pregnant, and my husband and I are arguing about who should be allowed in the delivery room when I give birth. I want only my sister and my mom there along with my husband. He’s the only male I feel comfortable having in the room. My husband, however, has a completely different idea. He wants his mom, dad, sister and even his grandma in the room. To me, that’s just way too many people, and I’m not very close with his family.

I’ve tried to explain that giving birth is an intimate experience and that I need to feel as comfortable and supported as possible. I don’t think he fully understands how exposed and emotional I’ll feel during labor. For him, it seems more about making sure his family doesn’t feel left out, but for me, it’s about creating a safe and calm environment. I want to respect his feelings and include his family in other meaningful ways, but I feel strongly about having only the people I’m most comfortable with in the delivery room. How can we resolve this in a way that respects both of our perspectives without adding unnecessary stress during such an important time?

[UExpress]

Harriette Cole suggests having the letter writer’s doctor speak to the husband about optimal conditions for childbirth. “Put your foot down on this — it is one decision where the dad does not to get to have a say,” she writes. “Invite his family to stay in the waiting room until your baby is born.” Read the rest of her answer.

Do I Have To Interact With My Friend’s Husband After He Asked For A Divorce While I Was Visiting?

I am currently staying with a family friend and her husband for a few days while visiting my hometown. The husband clearly isn’t happy with me staying here, so I have not interacted with him much.

On my second day here, the husband asked for a divorce. Now I can hear them fighting, and the tension is insane.

How do I interact with him further? Is it rude if I just avoid him? Currently, our conversations are barely existent.

[UExpress]

Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, the writers behind the Miss Manners persona, advise the letter writer to leave. “Miss Manners wonders why you did not leave for your own sake when you noticed that the host was unhappy with your being there, for whatever reason,” they write. “What you could have said to him and his wife on your way out was, ‘I wish you both well.’” Read the rest of their answer.

How Can I Get My Wife To Understand Why It Wasn’t A Big Deal When Our Daughter Didn’t Get Her Preferred Slice Of Cake At A Party?

I’m in a ridiculous situation with my wife, “Shanna.” Our family moved to our new area in October, after I was transferred for my job. A few weeks ago, our almost-6-year-old daughter, “Casey,” attended a birthday party for “Miley,” who is the daughter of my boss, “Lauren.” ... Casey hasn’t made many friends here yet, and Miley’s parents thought it would be nice for her to come.

Shanna dropped Casey off at the restaurant/arcade where the party was, and I picked her up when it was over. During the ride home, Casey voiced her disappointment that she didn’t get a corner piece of cake. (When we have cake on special occasions, my wife always makes sure she gets one.) I told her that was too bad, but sometimes things don’t work out the way we hope, and asked her if she’d still had fun. She talked about how she’d enjoyed playing the games, going on the rides, and bouncing in the trampoline zone. I thought the thing with the cake was just a blip on the radar. Then we got home.

When we arrived, Shanna asked Casey if she’d had a nice time at the party. Casey told her about everything she’d done, but when my wife asked her if she’d gotten a corner piece of cake and she said no, Shanna became incensed. I told Casey to watch TV while I talked to Mommy.

Once Casey was out of the room, Shanna angrily said Lauren knows how much Casey likes corner pieces of cake because she told her when she dropped her off, and Lauren knew she was supposed to give her one. She pulled out her phone and declared she was going to “let that bitch have it.” I took it away from her before she could dial the number and tried to reason with her. Lauren hadn’t meant any harm, I said. It was just one of those things, and not worth getting worked up over. I also reminded her that Lauren and her husband were trying to make Casey feel welcome; they weren’t under any obligation to invite her. Not to mention that Lauren IS my boss, so Shanna’s telling her off would make it problematic at work for me, to put it mildly.

That got Shanna to relent, but ever since, she’s been grumbling about how I care more about my job than our daughter and making snide comments in Casey’s presence about my supposed unwillingness to stand up for her. ... This is not the first time Shanna has made a mountain out of a molehill. How can I get my wife to understand that insignificant bumps in the road in our daughter’s life aren’t worth going nuclear over?

[Slate]

Jamilah Lemieux suggests couples counseling. “I don’t think this is something you can tackle on your own,” she writes. “Shanna needs to do some serious introspection and interrogation of her own behavior, which is indeed ridiculous and somewhat troubling in terms of anger and impulse control.” Read the rest of her answer.

How Can My Husband And I Navigate Our Heartbreak Over Our Daughter’s Choice To Have A Small, Nontraditional Wedding?

My oldest daughter, “Alaina,” is breaking my heart. She is engaged to a nice enough man that she’s been with for five years, but she has thrown out every tradition that is important to us: She won’t wear an engagement ring because diamonds are “ugly” and not “politically correct.” She refused both an engagement party and a bridal shower. They won’t create a registry, so my friends have no idea what to get them for wedding presents — turns out she’s not even inviting my friends to the wedding, just their own friends and family. She isn’t having a bridal party, and her sisters are hurt because they wanted to be bridesmaids. I was so looking forward to shopping with her for her bridal gown, but she bought a plain white dress. Worst of all, she won’t let her father walk her down the aisle because, in her words, she’s “not property to be given away.”

There is no reception, just champagne (no bar either!) and wedding cake in the basement (!!) of the church. No wedding dinner, not even appetizers. No wedding toasts. No first dance, because there’s no band. I understand that Alaina watched her younger sister turn into a bridezilla, but her sister did have a gorgeous wedding that we paid for. We are willing to pay for hers too, but she and her fiancé are refusing to do anything we want. They are both doctors and can pay for what they want. Alaina’s father is ready to stay home rather than be ignored, and I’m not sure I want to be there either. How do we navigate this without alienating our daughter?

[Slate]

Nicole Chung advises the letter writer and their husband to get over themselves. “Your daughter and her fiancé are adults, they’re paying for their wedding, and they get to have the kind of celebration they want,” she writes. “Their special day is not about you; it’s about them and the life they want to build together.” Read the rest of her answer.

Is It Too Much For Me To Ask My Husband To Attend The Big 50th Birthday Party I’ve Been Planning For Six Months?

My thoughtful husband has taken up music in the past couple of years, which I love and support. About twice a month he plays local “open mic” style shows for fun and fundraising, along with other gigs. Today he mentioned he accepted an invite to a special fundraiser a month from now. But, oops, that’s my 50th birthday and the night of the 100-person bash I’ve been planning for six months. It’s kind of a big deal — I’m shy and have never thrown a big birthday party. I invited his band to perform a paid set, but they said no for equipment reasons.

Now he’s upset I asked him not to go to this fundraiser because he doesn’t want to let down the band. He feels he’s not at fault because I didn’t put my birthday in the family calendar. If they can secure the opening spot, he can make it to my party only 30 minutes late. I’m worried that’s wishful thinking. He’d also have to back out of helping me set up for the party.

I’m honestly not precious about my birthday. Last year he accidentally accepted an invite to a hockey game on my birthday — no biggie, I just moved our restaurant reservation. I do care that when I asked him to honor his commitment to a party that can’t be moved, he acted like something I really care about (and am also super nervous about!) wasn’t his priority.

The world won’t end if he misses some of the party. I have to get a friend to help me set up, and it would mean a lot to have him there. Is it too much to ask that he not try to do both things?

[The Washington Post]

Carolyn Hax’s readers invite the letter writer to reconsider what they’re getting out of their marriage. “You should be an equal partner in your marriage, and your partner should be supporting you as much as you support him,” one of them writes. “From here, all I’m seeing is one person supporting and the other person taking, taking and taking.” Read the rest of their answers.

Was It Appropriate For My Company’s CEO To Share Family Vacation Photos At A Town Hall Meeting Shortly After Announcing Budget Cuts?

We just had a company-wide town hall, and the CEO — whom I’ve always known to be even-tempered and generally reasonable — kicked things off by sharing a recap and photos of his recent Disney World trip with 20 family members. This comes shortly after we were told about budget cuts, no bonuses, and rising health insurance costs that are eating into our modest merit increases. Needless to say, vacations aren’t exactly top of mind for most of us right now. Was this tone-deaf? Or am I overreacting?

[Ask A Manager]

Alison Green rules that the CEO’s presentation was tone-deaf and out of touch. “Most people have no interest in seeing the CEO’s family trip photos at the best of times!” she writes. “Displaying the photos at all is weirdly self-centered for a town hall.” Read the rest of her answer.