Category Archives for "Featured Questions"

0 What to do when your parents prefer a sibling to you

Bella asks: What I’m going to say might sound stupid, but I have a strong feeling that my parents prefer my sister over me. Not that they hate me, but the way they act with her is completely different from the way they act with me. One day we are on good terms, but then a week later they are ignoring me! Any advice on what I should do???

Hi Bella –

It’s hard to talk about this issue, I know.  Parents always want to believe that they treat (and love) all their children the same, but of course at different times, they’re going to “miss the target” on that.  Some parents can’t help but prefer the kid who’s best-behaved, while others just feel more fondness for the one who’s the more troublesome!  And the affection might switch over time.

Meanwhile, it’s absolutely normal for their kids to want, and even demand, equality.  When kids are very young, they simply want everything Mom and Dad can offer at all times; then they are taught to share and act with fairness, so they expect to be treated Continue reading

1 How to deal with loneliness

megane2 asks: What do you do when you have no one to talk to? When the only person who understands you is not with you and you’re not able to reach that person… When you have so much to say and to talk about but you feel totally alone? What should I do?

Hi Megane2 –

This is such a sad question.  Of course, I relate so well to it too.  Handsome leaves me at home alone nearly every day, and my heart just cries.  I like to spend time by myself, but that’s very different from being left alone.  Having no one to talk to, or play with, or just to pat my head, when I need it – that’s so lonely and painful.  I just hate it.  And I can tell you do too.

Here are ten ideas for things that you can do, though, when this happens.   Some of them are things I can’t do, so you’re luckier than me.  But all can be helpful, I promise.

1)    Write a journal.  One person you can always talk to is yourself!  Write out your feelings in a journal or diary.  And lots of times, you’ll find that the actual act of writing can help you work out some problems, just like telling a Continue reading

1 How to make life interesting and fun

choco asks: How can I make my life interesting? Are there some tricks to make fun in life??

Hi Choco –

This is probably my favorite question anyone’s ever asked me, because this is what I’m best at.  You see, we dogs always can find something interesting and fun, unless someone’s literally put us in a tiny cage.  And you humans have every bit of what we have in our brains, and a lot more.  So why is it that you often can’t come up with something, when we always can?  It’s because of that extra brain you have!  You’re so much more judgmental and worried and self-conscious and all that, which all gets in the way of life!  (Now please realize, I also know that that extra brain does a lot of good; Overall it tends to be better.  I’m not putting you down here, just pointing out how it can be a problem!).

So what you need to do is get all that nonsense out of the way, and find your own Continue reading

0 How to get your parents to speak to you again.

Bella asks: Hi, my parents aren’t on speaking terms with me, and tomorrow is my birthday. What should I do? I tried talking to my mum but she refused to listen. I feel so bad!!!

Oh Bella!  I’m so sorry I didn’t get to your letter in time for your birthday!  I can’t imagine how you must have felt the whole day, and I wish I could have sent you some kisses and tug-of-war playing to cheer you up!  I know it’s late but… Happy Birthday!

And I’m not kidding when I say those two words.  You see, any day can be your birthday.  We can all be “born again” any time we choose to be.  Some people get that in a religion, others get it in a beauty salon with a “makeover,” some through moving their homes.  And you can have a new “birth” in whatever way you want.  The trick – and the hard part – is deciding what exactly it is that you Continue reading

0 How to pick a college or university.

teejay 96 asks: Hi, I am writing from Africa. I am in my last year of high school and I do not know what college I am going to attend. I’m still trying to pick between Australia, Canada, the Middle East, and Europe. How do you suggest I compare my choice universities in these areas so as to pick the right college for me?

Hi teejay 96 –

What a coooool situation to be in!  No matter which of those places you choose, you’re going to have an amazing experience that will change your life and grow you in ways you can’t imagine!

Now as a dog, and a dog who lives in one country you aren’t even looking at (and has never been to any of those places), I can’t offer ANY opinion on where you should go!  It sounds like you’ve already looked into the quality of the colleges, so what you’re going to make your decision on is something else.

So I have two thoughts.  First, what sort of Continue reading

0 How to deal with a sibling with abnormalities

Shefar asks: Hey, Shirelle! I have asked you a question before, so I won’t tell you about me again, but there is one thing you don’t know… I have a sister and she’s abnormal. I mean she’s not crazy, just that not normal like us. But she likes to win everything. She’s older than me, but things have to be fair, right? I mean now I fight with her and I am the one who always got blamed! She starts it and I am the one that’s got to be blamed! My parents really care about her cause she’s not “normal” and they always make me give up the fight… So can you give me any advice to put a stop to this fighting and always losing stuff?! I know it’s kinda complicated but I’ve only got you to tell me what to do.

Hi Shefar –

It would be easier for me to give you a specific answer if I knew what exactly your sister’s Abnormality was.  The way you describe it, though, it sounds like she has some sort of developmental delay, or perhaps some level of Autism.   If so, your frustration is VERY normal, in fact unavoidable.  I’ve known lots of kids in your situation, and it’s never easy.  I will give you some advice, but first I want to give you the good news:  growing up in this situation is going to make you a really great person, and others will be able to see it.

Meanwhile, though, it’s not Continue reading

0 How to tell if a boy staring at you actually likes you

1471999 asks: I am a 12 years old girl.A boy who is younger than me looks at me in the class very often. Does that means he loves me?

Hi 1471999 –

I need to split your question into two parts.  The first is the question of what the word “love” means.  There are other posts on this website about this – about how it’s different from a “crush,” about how real love takes time, etc.  You might want to check those out.

But the second, about what this boy is feeling?  My guess is that yes, he’s interested in you.  But be warned – he may not Continue reading

1 Should you stay with someone who’s insulting you

barbie girl neika asks: I like this guy who is 5 years older than me. We have been together for four years on and off, but we broke up. I still have feelings for him, but he cheated and lied to me, and when we broke up he and the same girl got in a relationship. They are even together now! He even let me talk to her on the phone! He calls her names like “princess” and “Mrs.”… I’m jealous. Do you think I should let him go????? I’m awaiting your answer

Oh Barbie Girl Neika –

I am SUCH a romantic!  I spend so much time on this website trying to help couples work through problems, often including how to deal with the fact that one of them has done something wrong to the other.

But every dog has a breaking point.  No matter how nice and cuddly and licky and sweet we are, if we get mad enough, the hair on our back sticks up and our fangs come out and we become wild wolves like our ancestors and just want to rip the guts out of what’s angering us.  This is one of those Continue reading

1 Why teenagers should be given more freedom

Aly asks: Why should teenagers be given more freedom in social life?

Hi Aly –

My quick answer is “Because if they’re not given it, they’ll take it!”

But more importantly, they’ll take their freedom without your wisdom.

It’s like dogfood.  See, Handsome tends to make and eat food that’s a lot more interesting to me than my regular dog food.  But I know I’m not allowed to grab his food off the counter or the table.  And because I’m eating enough of my own food, I can handle the rules, and just hope he’ll give me some scraps when he’s done.  But if he didn’t feed me my own food, and I was really starving, I’d grab every bit of his Continue reading

0 What do you regret about your teenage years?

Mary asks: Hey, what do you regret not doing during your teenage years????

Hi Mary –

What a great question!  Though I’m not sure which years you’re referring to with me.  If you mean mean the time in my life between the literal ages of twelve to twenty-one, almost any dog in the world would tell you that its regret about that period was not living longer!  But if you mean my teenage “dog years,” that would basically be the time I spent at the age of two (fourteen to twenty-one in dog years).  So what do I regret not doing then?

Continue reading