Mom’s long-distance advice isn’t what teen wants to hear
Dear Abby:
I am 17 and dating a 16-year-old girl. My mother lives a few states away. Every time we talk she tells me to spend less time with my girlfriend. It always seems like she’s trying to break us up. Please give me advice. I want her to want me to be in the relationship I’m in and to let me stay with her.
— Teen in
think about the amount of time you’re spending with your girlfriend. Perhaps you should ask them.
Dear Abby:
I am struggling to adapt to our accelerating technological world. When I remove myself from the rapid information cycle of the internet and social media, I feel the world is passing me by. I have tried to find a balance, but the ubiquity of technology and our cultural reliance on the internet leave me feeling like I have only two options at any given time — connection or disconnection — and neither one feels entirely healthy to me.
This isn’t the first case of technological advancement leading to rapid cultural change and a sense of dislocation, but at the current rate, it may be the most extreme. This is to say nothing of the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in our lives. Do you have any advice for maintaining one’s humanity while remaining culturally relevant in our increasingly technology-dependent world?
— Floating in the Digital Age Dear Floating:
Just this: Try harder to find a balance, because if you are constantly online, you will be swamped. Sometimes we must disconnect and enjoy the “real world” without the constant interruption of the latest news cycle. Trust me. You won’t miss much because the information will find its way to you.
Dear Abby:
What is the proper way to handle the situation when you catch the host of a party doubleor triple-dipping into a bowl?
— Ick! in Largo, Fla. Dear Ick:
That’s easy. Refrain from consuming anything from that bowl.
Dear Readers:
Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere. This includes birth mothers, adoptive and foster mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers who are raising grandchildren, and dual-role dads. Orchids to all of you for the love you give every day.
Love, ABBY —
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 610540447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)