What to Say in Awkward Social Situations

You enter the pediatrician’s waiting room with your sick child, and spot a parent with whom you’ve had issues (to say the least) at PTA meetings.

No, don’t encourage your child to cough in her general direction. (You know you want to.) Just greet her calmly without overdoing it. “Say hello, introduce the children if necessary, follow up with a relatable comment―like something about the frustratingly long wait time to see the doctor―and find a seat anywhere you feel comfortable. But don’t feel compelled to continue chatting,” says Benton.

If you think the two of you can get past your differences, “try to connect with her over your mutual parenthood, which always proves to be neutral territory for feuding adults, wherever they are,” says Washington Post advice columnist Carolyn Hax. “With any luck, she’ll do the same and leave your issue behind.”