Dear Wynne, I'm 30

Dear Wynne,

Why is it wrong for a 30-year-old to have a crush on a 15-year-old?

Signed,

30 going on 15

Dear 15,

Oh, absolutely it is wrong. The 30 year old is not ready for a relationship (friendship, dating, or sex) if the 30 year old is crushing on a 15 year old. I suggest the 30 year old work on developing maturity. There is no reason on this green earth a 30 year should have anything in common with a 15 year old - unless the 30 year old never bothered to grow up - or the 30 year old only bases a relationship on physical attributes. If it’s physical attributes - well, that’s all part of growing up and maturity - you’ll find out by about age 22-26 that it’s not all about the body - that a mind is something that can be sexy, too. In this day and age of ready information, this should not even be a question. But you are asking it which means you understand it's wrong. Leave the 15 year old alone.

Cordially,

Wynne

Dear Wynne, I'm 16

Dear Wynne,

I’m a 16-year-old girl, and I’m planning on running away and becoming emancipated. How can I get my parents to kick me out?

Signed 16 going on 21 

Dear 16, 

The way you worded your question tells me you really have not given it much thought and are not prepared. You cannot both runaway and get kicked out. It’s one or the other. If you runaway - you will not automatically become emancipated. If your parents kick you out - you more than likely could become emancipated but if they kick you out - I’m going to go out on a limb here - and say - they will only kick you out if you do something really awful. And then they will kick you out without resources. The courts that will consider you for official emancipation will say, Nope, you can’t take care of your self - and you are still immature enough to do this XXXXXX that caused your parents to kick you out. We are going to place you in foster homes. The only way to become emancipated is by being emotionally secure and mature. That means talking to your parents and giving them good reasons to agree to allow you to become emancipated. If you do that - then it should be a no brainer to become emancipated. The other ways are to become insanely rich and show that your parents are stealing you blind. Or as some have suggested - show that your parents are endangering your life - but even then - emancipation isn’t a guarantee - you could be placed in a foster home if the court does not see any signs of your ability to support yourself and behave like an adult.

Cordially,

Wynne