Dear Vany

Junior Reporter Vanessa “Vany” Masterson answers her fifth set of questions from Palisadian-Post readers.

Dear Vany,
My sibling makes jokes about the boy/girl I have a crush on, it really bothers me. If I tell him to stop, he does it more. What should I do?

—Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I am in the EXACT same situation with my brother about someone I liked years back and don’t like now, but my brother thinks I still have a crush on.

I say to make a big deal out of it right in front of your parents. Maybe have a talk with them or find evidence and confront your sibling.

If he/she still bothers you, tell him you have a new crush on someone else. You might be thinking: Well yeah, but now he will just tease me about HIM/HER, the one I just told him I liked! Maybe, but if after that you don’t bring up crushes again, he might forget and tease you no longer.

I hope this helped!!

Thanks for writing!
Vany

Dear Vany,
Should a kid do chores for an allowance or just get an allowance without doing any chores?

—Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I think that you should do chores to get an allowance. It doesn’t make sense for your parents to just give you money every week for no apparent reason.

Working for your money gives it more value, and chances are you will spend it wiser. Some chores (like folding laundry or cleaning your plate after dinner) are pretty much just things you should do around the house anyway, but things like taking out trash and washing the car are chores you should get paid to do.

Make a plan with your family about what days you do what chores and how much you get paid to do them.

Thanks for writing to me!!

Best,
Vany