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 teens’ New Year’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 people’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 wasn’t supposed to be there. They said this may be the last Christmas we’ll have with my grandma. She must be really sick. Since I heard them, I can’t think of anything else. My grandma is the best person I know. No one else makes me feel so ...
Q. Please help me talk my mom into letting me get a job. My grades are good. I have as many friends as I want. She says I need to play sports. I don’t want to play sports at all. I played when I was little because she made me, but sports aren’t for me. She also says I don’t need money. ...
Since my first year of writing Ask Mary Jo, I’ve dedicated the Thanksgiving column to teens’ words. These expressions of gratitude are from teens at our Common Ground Teen Center. I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday! Aujalae 17: I am thankful for many things, but one thing mostly ...
Q. I feel like my mom gives me mixed signals. She wants me to be popular, to the point where she tries to oversee how I dress and asks me detailed questions about my friends, like who did I sit with at lunch and what was our conversation? I like school and my grades are good, but she mostly ...
