Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange
Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
42
votes
11 answers

Is it rude to offer my seat up on public transit to someone who is much older than me but not yet a senior?

I am in my mid-twenties and I frequently use public transit in my city. Sometimes I notice someone get on the bus who appears to be much older than me but still seems young enough to have no problem standing (maybe in their 40's or 50's). Assuming…
kem
  • 1,817
  • 2
  • 12
  • 15
42
votes
9 answers

Why is it socially not acceptable to point at someone with your finger?

I am on the autism spectrum and I tend to point at things, including people. The other day, I was talking with a coworker about some tasks I needed them to do and, while I was talking, I was also pointing at them (it was an unconscious way of…
Ael
  • 17,313
  • 13
  • 61
  • 129
42
votes
6 answers

How can I convince my parents to respect my privacy?

I am a 14-year-old Egyptian Muslim currently living with my parents. When I try to keep my room's door closed, my parents are always like "Why close it?" and when I reply "I want some privacy" they reply "You are doing something bad that you want…
Android Admirer
  • 735
  • 1
  • 5
  • 17
42
votes
3 answers

Two people from small group of friends want to have a "meeting" with me. The circumstances are strange and give me a bad feeling

I have a small group of friends that get together and hangout. Usually we hangout on Fridays. We usually go to the same person's home. One person from this group (call him Bob) contacted me. He said he and one other person from the group (call him…
hectorpepper
  • 663
  • 1
  • 5
  • 11
42
votes
4 answers

Showing a homeless person that you care about their well-being

Every day, when I go to work, I pass by a homeless person. At first, I just waved hello to them, but now I shake hands with them and, when doing that, they will start asking me questions (like "how are you?"). I believe they want to have a…
Ael
  • 17,313
  • 13
  • 61
  • 129
42
votes
5 answers

How do I politely hint to customers to leave my store, without pretending to need to leave myself?

I own a small gelato juice bar with a piddling number of seats for customers. I'm working alone right now; my employees returned to school and I haven't hired yet. Too frequently, after buying and eating, very long-time customers loiter and don't…
user2423
42
votes
12 answers

How should I ask people to stop over explaining things?

Most people that I interact with on a daily/regular basis seem to need to over explain and qualify every statement. An example would be: I'm heading out shortly and your car is blocking the drive. So far so good, but they will then continue and…
Moz
  • 611
  • 1
  • 5
  • 7
42
votes
3 answers

How to ask parents to respect my privacy

So, just yesterday iOS 12 came out for Apple devices. All of my family (including me) use Apple devices faithfully. My dad has used a Mac since they were first commercially available for the public. iOS 12 has some serious parental control upgrades…
E. Huckabee
  • 1,633
  • 1
  • 12
  • 15
42
votes
7 answers

Asking guys to quit shouting in a bar

I've been making a more conscious effort to work on my social skills lately. Particularly soft skills dealings with random people in public places. My shrink recommended that I do the obvious thing, "Go out in public, and do something that you enjoy…
apaul
  • 54,860
  • 28
  • 186
  • 250
42
votes
3 answers

How do I tell between compliments and 'ball' jokes while juggling?

While training juggling in a park, from behind me I heard a female's voice say, "You are really good with your balls." The vocal inflection was that of a compliment, but she didn't reference juggling so my initial reaction was that she had made a…
Stephen Meschke
  • 595
  • 1
  • 4
  • 7
42
votes
5 answers

Dementia: How to cut off useless advice to a caregiver from well meaning people?

My husband has moderate dementia. The exact cause has been variously diagnosed, but it is probably not Alzheimer's. I haven't broadcast the fact, but, of course my friends and some of my closer acquaintances know, and the therapists. I am…
user1760
41
votes
13 answers

How to ask a new friend about his sexuality?

A few weeks ago, I met a guy, and we started a friendship. We're still getting to know each other, but as time passes I have more and more reasons to believe he has different interests than I (a heterosexual guy) do, though we met in person only…
Neinstein
  • 663
  • 1
  • 5
  • 13
41
votes
5 answers

How best to tell a parent I wish to stop tutoring her son?

I am a private tutor, and I'm tutoring students individually in mathematics & statistics at their place of residence. From time to time, I feel tempted to drop students for various reasons, notably, either because the student lacks self motivation…
user10825
41
votes
9 answers

How to ask to pay for products from a friend's shop rather than accepting them as gifts without being rude?

Little bit of background: a few weeks ago, my friend/coworker's sister, we'll call her Lila, opened up a shop with her boyfriend, let's call him Mark, about things that generally interest me. I've helped them as much as I could to set up the shop…
HugoBDesigner
  • 2,197
  • 3
  • 11
  • 27
41
votes
7 answers

How do I respond to children slightly younger than me laughing at my accent?

I'm an American. I moved to Israel. My Hebrew is OK, but I don't speak it perfectly. I also have... quite a strong accent. I'm trying to work on it, but it's there and fairly noticeable. Sometimes I'm talking - in a public space - to some kids my…
Mithical
  • 4,334
  • 6
  • 28
  • 54
1 2 3
…
99 100