Dear Abby: Daughter’s bratty behavior drives mother to tears

Dear Abby: I recently traveled to Germany to help my 19-year-old daughter settle in for her semester of study abroad. I was in tears the entire trip home, not because I was sad to leave her, but because she kept lashing out at me for anything from using a cotton swab to following proper directions exiting the train, to asking simple — but, in her mind, ridiculous — questions.

This is not new behavior. Her brother has also observed her overreactive behavior to minor things. I treated her and her roommate to dinners out and stocked her apartment with groceries, in addition to making significant financial contributions toward her tuition.

I’m also splitting the cost of her monthly rent with her dad.