Q. My daughter comes home from her dad’s house telling me that her father lets her stay up until 10 o’clock at night and doesn’t cook dinner. She’s 6. She needs her sleep and nourishing food. I get so worked up; I don’t want her to go. And I don’t know exactly what to say to her when she tells me these things. What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. Do the logical thing first. Get on the phone -- and I mean talk, don’t text -- and ask dad what’s the story. Don’t accuse him. Explain what your daughter has been saying.

One of my clients made a joke about it when she asked her co-parent what was going on and it took the sting out of the questioning. She said, “So, I hear bedtime is 10 o’clock on school nights at your house,” with a little laugh. “Our daughter is full of surprises. Got any insight for

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