Texting and driving

MONDAY, MAY 29, 2017

Dear Forever Heartbroken: your loss.

Readers, if you text while driving, it’s not a matter of “if” you get into an accident but “when.” If you have trouble resisting the urge to look at your phone, consider installing an app such as Live2txt, which blocks all incoming texts and calls while you’re driving. For parents, there’s Cellcontrol, a device that can be installed in the dashboard of a car and paired with an app that prevents your teen from texting while driving.

Thank you for raising this important issue. If your letter causes even one person to think twice before texting while driving, it just might save a life.

Dear Annie: My granddaughter is turning 7 soon and wants to have a small birthday party. She has five friends she wants to invite. Her mom (my daughter) is close to another mother who has a child in the same group, but my granddaughter does not want to invite that child.

In previous years, this child was invited, but during this past year, the kids have grown apart, although all the mothers have stayed in contact frequently.

So the problem is: Should this child be invited in order to keep the peace, or should my granddaughter invite only the friends she wants? We’re not sure of the best way to handle this. Her birthday is coming up soon, so we need your help. — Nana

Dear Nana: I’m never one for leaving children out, especially when they are as young as 7. Invite her. Who knows? By next week, they may be best friends. Kids change their minds all the time. They’re much more open than we grown-ups are.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. I am so sorry for