My dog needs an operation I can’t afford. Should I try to find the money, or put him down?

The feelings of helplessness towards an animal in pain are difficult, says advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, but try not to make this decision in isolation

Post-birth surfing was my source of joy, and parental guilt

While pregnant, surfer Gill Hutchison voluntarily ‘beached herself’. Her return to the waves required a new type of balancing act

Broadcasting your breakfast: why TikTokers obsess over morning routines

With 15bn views to #MorningRoutine TikTok videos, Rachel Signer decided to wake up to the social media trend – and was served some societal critique with her cereal

‘This was happiness – not a permanent state but a vanishing point’: what makes me happy now

Grappling with grief and isolated by the pandemic, Sarah Holland-Batt found in walking through the forest not a jolting giddy happiness but contentment

I’m 40 and my parents are still body-shaming me

They could be projecting their own issues on to you. You feel attractive, fit and accept yourself – it’s time to zone out their criticism

I miscarried, while my best friend had a healthy baby. Is it time to move on from the friendship?

It’s hard to connect if you’re not really seeing each other, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, and there are only two ways of resolving it

Urgent calls for Australia-wide register of sperm donations amid concerns about ‘prolific’ donors

Experts say informal donations a ‘huge problem’ that could lead to trauma for donor-conceived people who find they have dozens of half siblings

Post-birth, my most important relationship wasn’t with my baby

The idea of a parents’ group sounded ‘a bit naff’ for Freya Bennett. But a new friendship with a fellow mum would help her survive the early months of motherhood

Forget regret! How to have a happy life – according to the world’s leading expert

For 84 years, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has tracked the lives of hundreds of Americans. Now its director, Robert Waldinger, is explaining what it has taught him about health and fulfilment

Avoid flat lemonade and don’t starve the bug: what to do when gastro strikes

Experts share their tips for treating viral gastroenteritis at home – and when it’s important to see a doctor