Mom’s flirting causing trouble with friends

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This article was published 02/03/2016 (3841 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My mom is great but she’s far more interested in my buddies than she should be. She had me when she was 16 and had a boyfriend later for six years, but now he’s gone. Now I’m 16 myself which only makes her 32, and I can see she’s lonely. She is pretty and my buddies must feel her flirting with them, although she’s not overly obvious. She is always trying to cook for us, which they love. But yesterday one of my older friends, who is 18, said seriously, “Doesn’t your mom have a boyfriend?” and he seemed much too interested in hearing the answer. I lied and said to him, “Of course she does! Why are you asking?” and he quickly said “I dunno.”

Should I have a talk with my mother? I don’t know what to say to her. She’ll be hurt and embarrassed if I tell her to lay off flirting with my friends.

— Care About My Mom, Winnipeg

Dear Care About Mom: You’ll need to find a nicer way to say it than that, but you need to say something about her flirting. Tell her you can’t bring your friends home as much if they’re starting to get the idea she’s interested in them. And then tell her you would be OK if she started dating someone nice her own age. Then be polite to whomever she likes — unless he’s a creep. Then you talk again. Maybe she thought you wouldn’t want to have her dating, but now you can tell her you’re certainly old enough.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6

Miss Lonelyhearts
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