Not only young people write to me through my column. To kick off the New Year, I selected a parent and a grandparent email to share.
Q. I appreciate the way you support teachers in your column and your social media posts. I taught for 45 years, mostly middle school. My teacher colleagues ...
As we look forward to 2025, I am honored to share some teensÎÞëÊÓƵ™ New YearÎÞëÊÓƵ™s resolutions. I began this tradition in 2005, the first year I wrote the column Ask Mary Jo, and I am pleased to offer young peopleÎÞëÊÓƵ™s voices again.
Astrid, 17: I want to be true and honest with myself. I want to work ...
Q. I overheard my mom and my uncle talking. I wasnÎÞëÊÓƵ™t supposed to be there. They said this may be the last Christmas weÎÞëÊÓƵ™ll have with my grandma. She must be really sick. Since I heard them, I canÎÞëÊÓƵ™t think of anything else. My grandma is the best person I know. No one else makes me feel so ...
Q. I read your column about friendship last week and wished so much IÎÞëÊÓƵ™d had you to talk with when I was 13. No one seemed to understand how devastated I was when my longest and best friend simply dropped out of my life. I was brokenhearted. IÎÞëÊÓƵ™m a mom now and my children are small ÎÞëÊÓƵ“ I know ...
Q. My best friend since kindergarten is no longer my friend. I donÎÞëÊÓƵ™t know what I did. She wonÎÞëÊÓƵ™t talk to me. What do I do? ÎÞëÊÓƵ“13-year-old
Mary JoÎÞëÊÓƵ™s Response: I do wish this wasnÎÞëÊÓƵ™t ...
Q. I think IÎÞëÊÓƵ™m the only kid in the world who is in a hurry to get back to school. IÎÞëÊÓƵ™m so bored during this break. ItÎÞëÊÓƵ™s too long. I just live with my mom and she works two jobs. I donÎÞëÊÓƵ™t connect with my school friends when IÎÞëÊÓƵ™m not in school because I donÎÞëÊÓƵ™t have a phone. Is it weird ...