Girls’ friendship changes as toddlers become teens
Dear Abby: I have known “Kathy” for 13 years. Her parents moved up the street from us when we were both 2. I don’t remember much when we were younger, but everyone says we had some good times.
We are now 15 and in our first year of high school. My problem is, Kathy has changed. She started going to the same school I did in eighth grade after having some problems with bullying. The new school didn’t help much. She started hanging out with people who weren’t good influences, and her attitude started changing.
Then we started high school, and now she acts like she’s above me. I’m a polite, quiet and religious person. Kathy swears a lot and doesn’t treat me like a friend anymore. Our families are close, and I feel JEANNE PHILLIPS DEAR ABBY
stuck. If our situations were different, I would have never ended up being friends with her. What should I do?
-- Some Good Times
Dear Some Good Times: Tell your parents how you feel about Kathy and why. Friendships don’t always last forever. As time goes by, sometimes people grow apart. If Kathy is unkind to you, you shouldn’t be forced to be around her. Because your parents and hers are close, they can socialize as adults, with no offspring involved.
Dear Abby: I have been a longtime reader and recently I have been reading the archives and find it funny that most requests for advice are relevant even in this day and age. My question is, now that we have caller ID and cellphones, do you still say “hello” when you answer a call? The greeting seems false since you know exactly who is calling you. -- Aimee In San Antonio
Dear Aimee: The customary greeting is still to say hello. However, because we now have caller ID, which gives us the advantage of knowing who the caller is, many people answer their phones by addressing the person by name (i.e., “Hello, Aimee!”).