Author: The Elderly Aunt
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The Elderly Aunt, Contributor
Hey Elderly Aunt, my friend was accused of a crime, and it’s affecting our friendship
Someone I had considered a friend was accused of a crime, and I’m having a hard time not letting it affect my opinion of her and, as a result, our friendship … It’s made me seriously question whether to continue our friendship. Am I in the wrong for letting something that didn’t directly affect me end a decade-long friendship? And what would you recommend that I do next?
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Dear Elderly Aunt, was I wrong to call the paramedics for a sick colleague?
I called the emergency squad because I didn’t know how to handle it and she wasn’t immediately responsive. It turns out she has a chronic medical condition, which I didn’t know about. And she’s angry at me for calling the paramedics, which she views as an over-reaction … Was I wrong to call the paramedics? What should I do now because I still have to work with this person?
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Hey Elderly Aunt, how do I convince my parents that I have a plan to chase my dreams?
I’ve always wanted to open a new business … But at some point, I’m going to have to quit my current job to launch and make it work. I’ve told my parents about it, and they think I’d be silly and reckless to do that with COVID still going on. What could I do or tell them to show them I’m not being reckless?
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Hey Elderly Aunt, how can I handle awkward political talk at Thanksgiving or should I just bail on it?
Dear Elderly Aunt: … what advice do you have for talking about politics after the election (or not talking about it) during Thanksgiving? … What can I do to avoid or handle the topic regardless of who wins, who loses or if the election is still undecided? Or should I just play it safe, blame COVID and not go this year?
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Hey Elderly Aunt, how do I urge my partner to recycle?
Let me preface my question by saying my partner is wonderful in so many ways … but the guy will not recycle … All he has to do is toss them into the recycling bin, but he says it fills up too fast and just smells and that the stuff “probably” ends up in a landfill anyway. I refuse to pick through the trash behind him. Any advice for how I can do this little thing to help the environment without turning it into a big fight?
Hey Elderly Aunt, How do I reach my brother who’s fallen down the QAnon rabbit hole?
Dear Elderly Aunt: Much to my horror and dismay, my brother began sharing QAnon BS on Facebook a couple weeks back. Rather than responding on Facebook to what he’s put up there, I tried talking with him. It did not go well. He’s buying into all these looney tall tales about a deep state and the coronavirus being a hoax … What can I do to try to bring him back to reality and help him see the difference between facts and fiction? Or should I accept that he’s been sucked into an alternative reality?
Hey Elderly Aunt, how do I respond to being re-invited to a Zoom wedding I initially wasn’t invited to?
Hello Elderly Aunt, I do have a situation, sort of. We weren’t invited to a wedding, and now we are. And I want to say something, but I’m trying not to …
Hey Elderly Aunt, help me help my daughter avoid cyberbullying
Like many parents, I’m concerned about the fall school year but not just because of the uncertainty that comes with online learning. My daughter, who is in middle school, has already been the target of bullying. Some other girls in her grade criticized her clothes and appearance and her music choices last year. She’s not eager to share with me but she had a couple of friends from church who are in her grade, though not in her classes, that I think she sometimes confided in. I worry that the bullying might resume in the form of cyberbullying and without her ability to connect with others in person, I’m afraid the isolation will only compound the problem. What can I do as a parent to help her navigate this? Thanks for helping me.
