Dear Dana is an advice column especially for teens in the Monadnock Region.  The column gives teens a person to ask the questions they cannot ask others.  Dear Dana provides down-to-earth advice in order to help teens in the Monadnock Region.

Q:  My friend’s Dad lets him drink beer at home and he says the police won’t bother him as long as he stays on his property. Is this true?

A:  You cannot believe everything you hear, and it seems like you are not believing your friend. In this case, that’s the right thing to do. It is absolutely illegal to drink alcohol before the age of 21 in the United States. It is also illegal in the State of NH to provide alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, so both the Father and Son might be participating in illegal activity. The laws are different in different states, so it is good to check with your local police to find out what is illegal. Good idea to question your friend’s answer!
 

Q:  I am 11 years old and I get really embarrassed talking to my Mom about thing like growing up. I really want to tell her that I want to shave my legs, but every time I try to, I feel really stupid and chicken out. Everyone is shaving their legs now, and I want to! Help me!

A:  Try not to feel embarrassed to talk to your Mom about shaving your legs because that’s what Mom’s are for! All women go through the situation of deciding when to start shaving their legs. Your Mom might be helpful in this situation because she has been through it. She might even be willing to give you some pointers! If you still are not comfortable talking with your Mom, you can always talk with an adult you trust at school, or maybe a relative. This is all part of growing up, and it is something to be excited about!
 

Q:  Dear Dana, I am 13 and I am going to an all girl’s school. We don’t usually have many dances, but next week we have one! The problem is that my Dad got tickets to our favorite basketball game for the same night and I usually don’t spend much time with him. What should I do?

A:  What a situation to be in! Having to make this decision, must be hard for you. I would go for whatever your heart tells you that you want to do the most. If you cannot decide still, then decide to do half-and-half. It might be possible to attend half of the game and half of the dance. If all else fails, you can always attend a game another day or try to talk your school into having another dance again soon. Maybe you could even be on the school social activities council so that you can encourage more school dances! Good luck!
 

Q: I am thirteen and live with my mom and my eleven year old brother. My mom and dad got divorced about a year ago. I want to do things together as a family and my dad thinks it would be okay. My mom doesn’t think we should. What can I do?

A: Talk with your mom. Explain to her how you feel. You might be surprised how much she will open up to you when you open up to her. There might be a possibility that your mom is worried that spending time together as a family might give you false hope that they might be getting back together, or she may have other reasons why this would not be comfortable for her.

Although your parents might not love each other like married people do, they care for you and your brother. If your mom still says everyone cannot spend time together, it is important that you spend quality time with each parent when you can.