Dear Ann Landers: I have been married to “Linda” for nearly two years. We have a 5-month-old baby. The problem is, Linda doesn’t drive and doesn’t care to learn. I knew this when we married, but it didn’t bother me then. Well, Ann, it bothers me now — a lot.
I decided to teach Linda how to drive, although we have set no timetable for it. Meanwhile, I have to drive her everywhere. Sometimes she oversleeps and makes me late for work. This morning, I insisted she get up on time, and she turned very ill-tempered. Talking to her was like walking on glass. I have considered handing her a bus schedule and telling her to find her own way around, but my friends say it would only make her angrier. What can I do? — Out of Gas in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Dear Out of Gas: Unless you are content to drive Linda everywhere forever, you had better schedule those driving lessons immediately. Better yet, sign her up for classes at a driving school, and let someone else teach her. In the meantime, keep a bus schedule handy, and if she oversleeps, say, “I’m late for work, and I know you want to sleep a little longer. Here’s the bus schedule.” It won’t take long before she will be pleading for another chance. Give it to her.
Dear Ann Landers: You often print lists of rules to help people get along. I am a teenager and have come up with my own list. I hope you think it’s worth printing. — Dallas Reader
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Dear Dallas: I certainly do. Here it is:
Rules for Teens
1. Do not hurt your siblings or your peers, even if you think they deserve it. You will regret it later.
2. You are going through a lot of changes, both physically and emotionally. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help.
3. As a teen, you will be given more choices in life. Try to do what is right. You know what that is.
4. Your parents have advice to offer. Keep in mind that they have experience you don’t. Do not reject everything they say just because they are your parents.
5. Don’t let anyone make you feel insignificant. Love yourself.
6. Think before you speak. Words are easy to say, but hard to forget.
7. Violence is never acceptable. Nothing good can come of it.
8. If you show others kindness, the same will be done for you.
9. Drugs and alcohol will not make pain go away. They will only make things worse later on.
10. You have a lot of years ahead of you. What happens to you now counts. Don’t mess up your future.
Dear Ann Landers: Thank you for telling people how important it is to take pictures of family members to pass on to future generations.
May I please add that these pictures should be labeled with the names of the people as well as the dates they were taken? Without this information, these photographs will be meaningless.
I recently put together a family history and have boxes of pictures with no names and dates on them.
I have no idea who these people are, and there is no one left alive who can identify them. It breaks my heart. — Carol in South Carolina
Dear Carol: You make an excellent point. Please, folks, as soon as those pictures come back from the developer, write on the reverse side the names of the people, along with the date and other pertinent information. You won’t be sorry.