Dear Queenie,
My best friend got a cell phone for her 15th birthday and now she never talks to me anymore, she is always on the phone.
Queenie, why is she treating me like this?—Hurt feelings
Dear Hurt feelings,
Like most teenagers, your friend is fascinated with something new. Ask her to show you how her phone works and hope that when you get one of your own you will become phone-bffs.
Meanwhile, try to make some new friends, preferably ones who also do not have phones of their own.
Dear Queenie,
There’s this man who is my best friend but my parents don’t approve of him because of the way he looks and dresses.
Queenie, I will go on seeing him no matter what they say, but how can I get them to stop putting him down?—Fed-up girlfriend
Dear Girlfriend,
If you are grown up and living on your own you have the right to choose your (boy)friends. Given time, your parents may learn to appreciate what kind of a man your friend is regardless of how he looks and dresses. Meanwhile, arguing with them about him will not do you any good, so try to avoid doing so.
Dear Queenie,
Our son will graduate from college in another country this year. We are planning to go to the graduation if we are allowed to travel to that place, but my mother wants to come with us and we don’t think that’s a good idea. She is not very healthy and constantly complains about her health problems. Also, she can’t walk very well and sometimes she falls down.
Queenie, how can we keep her from going?—Worried son
Dear Son,
If all the travel restrictions are still in place when you plan to travel, it may not be legally possible for you and your mother to travel, never mind her health problems.
Tell her you are worried about her health and safety if she tries to travel and offer to videotape the graduation ceremony for her. You may even be able to send it to her live, or the college may arrange to have it broadcast (live or recorded), so she can watch it from home.
Dear Queenie,
What is the difference between the words “dinner” and “supper”? Or do they both mean the same thing?—Confused
Dear Confused,
“Dinner” refers to the main meal of the day, which most people have at the end of the day, but which could be served earlier, perhaps around noon. It also refers to a large formal banquet such as is served at a special occasion like a wedding, or on a holiday.
“Supper” refers to a lighter, less formal, meal eaten in the evening.
Dear Queenie,
I’ve been married for almost 20 years and we have 2 children. Our marriage is okay, but it could be better, but when I talk to my husband about things he could change things get better for a while and then go back to what they were before.
Recently my ex-fiancé from before I met my husband moved back here and whenever I talk to him it’s like it used to be before we broke up.
My children don’t get along with their father very well and I don’t think it would be very hard on them if we got divorced.
Queenie, what do you think I should do?—Confused wife
Dear Wife,
First of all, try to remember why you broke up with your ex-fiancé.
Then, do not just tell your husband about things you would like him to change, but ask him – and listen carefully to what he says – about things he would like you to change.
Then, if necessary, you and your husband should go together for marriage counselling to help you both learn how to work together to make your marriage better.
Only if all that fails should you even start thinking about getting a divorce.
