I bet you loved Ralphie a lot. Dogs are wonderful, aren’t they? What’s not so wonderful is that our pet’s lives are shorter than ours. So they have to leave us and go to heaven.
Losing Ralphie will feel sad for a while, Janie. But here are a few things you could do to help you feel better. You could draw a picture of Ralphie and hang it up in your room. You could also write Ralph a letter and tell him why he was so special and how much you loved him.
As a little time passes, you won’t be so sad anymore. I promise. Time helps us out like that.
Something you can look forward to is loving another dog someday, just like you loved Ralphie. I bet you’ll be lucky enough to have a lot of dogs in your long life.
Be sure to do something that will make you feel better. It’s okay to cry when you miss Ralphie.
Just give it time. Mrs. D.
The Post
This area is made just for you and I call it The Post!
Here's how it works: Use the form below to send me any questions you have or anything else you have been wondering about. I'll answer your question and post it at the bottom of this page to try and clear things up for you.
-Mrs. D.
Create your Post to Mrs. D. form
{Why did my dog Ralphie have to die? - Janie, age 7}
{How do I know if my “friends” are really my friends? Stephanie, age 10}
That’s a good question, Stephanie. Sometimes it is hard to know, isn’t it? Having good friends is very important. Everyone should have a few of them. But here’s how to tell if someone is a friend or not. Think of each friend and then answer these questions:
1. Would she take up for you if someone spoke badly about you?
2. Is she honest?
3. Does she usually do the right thing?
4. Does your friend lift you up & make you feel good about yourself?
5. Is she kind to you and others?
6. Does she listen to what you have to say?
7. Does she respect your opinion?
8. Does your friend congratulate your accomplishments?
9. Are you proud to call her your friend?
10. Is she helpful when you need her to be?
Number 1-5 have to be “Yes.” These are non-negotiable points to a friendship.
If you can answer “Yes” to most of the last 5 questions, then she’s definitely a friend. Keep her around and treat her well.
Remember, no one is perfect. If you can’t answer “Yes” to most of these points and you still want her to be a friend, you may want to tell her.
Also, make sure you’re being the best friend you can be also. Remember the Golden Rule of life.
I’m glad you asked! Mrs. D.
{Why is making decisions so confusing all the time? Darren, age 17}
You’re right. Making decisions can be confusing. It seems like high school is all about making 100 decisions a day.
There is a trick to help you make decisions less confusing. The trick is to trust to your gut. Your gut knows right from wrong for you better than anyone else. If you are having trouble making decisions, ask yourself, “What is my gut telling me?” The more you follow your gut, the more good decisions you make. The more good decisions you make, the easier the whole process eventually becomes. I promise.
Please know it is okay to make a wrong decision. It’s not the end of the world. We all do it. That’s part of life. Most decisions can be revoked. Sometimes making a bad decision is a way to learn how to make better ones.
Life is one big learning curve. We are all on the curve with you. So be knid to yourself.
Check out Be Your Own Compass It is a great visual for making good decisions.
Listen to your gut! Mrs. D.
{I just don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Dave, age 17}
Full Question
I’m a senior in high school. I’m in some clubs and play LaCrosse. But I just don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. How do people know these things? Dave, age 17
Dave, some people know at a young age what they want to be in life. For others, it takes time to figure out. But you will figure it out if you spend time looking for answers. I recommend taking a career test. This will give you many career options that you can narrow down. Ask your school counselor or read Do What Your Are, by Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron. This is a fantastic book. I use it with my students. You can probably find it at a library or any bookstore sells it.
Good luck! Mrs. D.
{Are you sure I have gifts? I can’t think of any. Anna, age 11}
Absolutely! You were born with gifts. I bet you’re already using them and you just don’t know it. Ask yourself, “What am I naturally good at? What are my talents? What is it that other people say I do well?”
Are you good at being a leader? A follower? Are you good at math? Solving problems? Do you like to help other people? Or take care of pets? Do you like to speak in a crowd? Draw? Do you Invent ways to make things easier? What are you good at? Think of some things on your own.
Also, always keep trying new activities and clubs. We can discover new gifts all of our life!
Have fun figuring it out! Mrs. D.
{This bully keeps messing with me. I’m trying to ignore him. Why is he doing this and how can I get him to stop? Dan, age 13}
Believe it or not, the bully feels bad and insecure about himself. And if he can make you feel the same way, then he feels better. I know that sounds weird, but it is true.
Don’t ignore the bully. That’s what he wants you to do. If you ignore him, he’ll just keep bothering you more.
Know what you can do to get rid of a bully? Stand up for yourself. The next time he’s in your face say, “Stop it!” Or “Get out of my face!” Then just walk around him and go on about your business. It’ll freak him out and he’ll have to find someone else to bully.
If this doesn’t work, you must tell an adult. No one deserves to be bullied.
Stand up for yourself. Mrs. D.