Gen Z is raising the bar for what they want out of love and companionship, an approach shaped by social comparisons and modern values. Not everyone agrees with these lofty demands—particularly older generations who find them excessive.

A party encounter turned into parenthood when two friends with benefits found themselves expecting a child. They opted to raise their daughter together while living apart, creating an unconventional co-parenting arrangement filled with questions about each partner’s responsibilities and priorities.

A reader wrote to “Dear Annie” complaining that her friend’s phone has become a constant presence during face-to-face visits. When she finally voiced discomfort by calling herself a “third wheel,” her friend merely shrugged it off and claimed to be “multitasking.”