Dear John: When Your Best Friend’s Advice Simply Doesn’t Measure Up
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Is it because no one at home listens to all his good advice? Maybe. But lucky for you, he's here, he's ready to advise, and all you need to do is ask. Who needs to Ask Amy when you can Dear John?
Dear John,
I just lost my job. How do I discuss financial/work issues with my children without freaking them out (they're teenagers)?
Signed,
Reality Bites
As devastating as it is to lose a job, it presents you with an opportunity to show your kids how to handle one of life’s major blows. And they will learn from your example, good or bad. What you say is perhaps less important than how you say it: be honest with them about your financial situation (you needn’t go into detail), but be calm and confident that things will work out. Maintain an optimistic outlook even if it’s not how you feel inside. Don’t bemoan your situation or the unfairness of it all, but explain that these things happen to everyone at one time or another. Get everyone together to think of ways to economize, and share with them your plan for finding another job – maybe even a better one than the one you lost. As hard as it will be at times (and I know firsthand), you will be teaching them a lesson about responding to adversity that will serve them well the rest of their lives. They will only freak out if you do.
Dear John,
How do I explain the sexcapades of people like John Edwards to my daughters? They now think all men are shits.
Signed,
The Eyerolls Have It
If your daughters draw conclusions about the character of the average man from the behavior of the average politician, a few decades of intensive cloistering may be in order. John Edwards’ despicable behavior allows us to draw conclusions about exactly one man: John Edwards. Ideally, your daughters have men in their lives to contradict the example set by Senator Edwards; if not, explain to them that not all men are shits; not even all politicians are shits; in fact, it is only when we define our sample as politicians obsessed with their hair that we approach a 100% shittiness rate.
Dear John,
A Hindu Pandit and I have fallen in love. I don't believe in religion, he's 26 and I'm 70 and we live on opposite sides of the world. What advice can you offer us?
Signed,
Hopeless Romantic
I have no advice for him and a fairly simple suggestion for you: don’t send him your bank account or social security numbers.
Jealous of all this attention? Send your own quandry off today to [email protected]. Make it interesting enough and he'll probably write back. In front of a million of your closest friends.
