Friday, May 28, 2010
Dear Annie: My daughter is 13. She has a 12-year-old friend, “Tasha,” who is often home alone, sometimes watching a sibling, while her mother works a second-shift job. Mom doesn’t get home until 1 a.m.
My daughter is upset that I won’t let her sleep over at Tasha’s when she’s by herself or watching her sibling. Her other friends are allowed, but I have my doubts that these friends’ parents are aware that Tasha is alone.
I like Tasha and her mother, but I question the parent’s judgment. Tasha has come here for sleepovers, and I let my daughter go to her home during the early evening, but only for a couple of hours because of the lack of supervision. Am I too overprotective?
Concerned Mom
Dear Mom: No. We’re sure Tasha is a perfectly responsible young girl, but if you would not leave your own child alone in the house until 1 a.m., there is no reason to allow it elsewhere. (There are also legal issues about children under 16 being left unsupervised.) We imagine Tasha’s mother does this because she cannot afford a sitter. It would be a great kindness if, on the days when Tasha is alone (and not taking care of her sibling), you’d offer to let her stay with you.
Dear Annie: I’m a professional single woman in my 50s. Several of my friends are active on Facebook and have been posting photographs of parties I’ve attended.
I do not wish to have my picture posted on Facebook and have said as much. These friends are ignoring my request. I’ve asked them to let me preview pictures before they post them, to no avail. What can I do?
Want My Privacy
Dear Want: Not too much. You have asked these friends, nicely, to remove the pictures, and they have refused. They should respect your wishes, but they don’t care. You can indicate your displeasure in more forceful terms, or you can accept that this is the price you pay for having clueless, inconsiderate friends.
Dear Annie: “Grossed Out in the Silver State” was upset about overweight people wearing ill-fitting clothes that show body parts. You agreed it “isn’t pretty.” You know what else isn’t pretty? The assumption that obese people can afford new clothes.
It is well known that poor nutrition is a class issue. Many people have trouble eating well because they cannot afford healthy, fresh ingredients, or they don’t have the time to prepare home-cooked meals. Eating right and exercising is easy when you have the time and resources, but if someone has put on extra weight and lacks the funds for a new wardrobe, one can hardly expect them to stay inside all the time.
Massachusetts
Dear Massachusetts: We agree that poor nutrition and insufficient funds can make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight, even though jogging around the block doesn’t require a lot of time or resources. What would help is for people to be better educated about the dangers of fast food and processed foods, and for healthier alternatives to be cheaper to get.
Creators Syndicate