Dear Eli

By Elizabeth Coroseo

Dear Eli:

I was a really good student in high school, and I wanted to be a lawyer, so I left the city that I lived in and moved out of my house to “study”. The thing is that when classes started I realized how fun it was not having a curfew, getting drunk and having all kinds of freedom that I didn’t have when I was living with my parents. After the first semester I had flunked 2 out of 5 classes but I told my parents that I had passed all of my classes and that I was the best student of my class. Of course my parents where really proud and happy for me. After 5 years of university, I have to graduate but the problem is that I can’t do it because I flunked so many classes. Now my mom is telling everyone how she will have the nicest party to celebrate my graduation and how I will become a prestigious lawyer. What can I do? I have been lying for such a long time and I don’t want my parents to be disappointed.

Should I tell them the truth or just let them think that I will graduate this year and keep up with this lie that is getting bigger and bigger everyday? – THE LAWYER OR LIAR

Dear Lawyer:

I think honesty is the best thing. You should tell your parents the truth since you haven’t done it before. They will probably get really upset but it is a price that you will have to pay for such a big lie. After you tell the truth you will feel much better and you will be able to continue your studies without lying to your family.

Dear Eli:

My family had a nanny when I was a child; she lived with us for many years, until she got pregnant and left my house. I was 14 when she got pregnant so I was old enough to realize that she couldn’t have a baby because she couldn’t raise a child alone and she didn’t have enough money. To solve her problem she would give her child up for adoption to a wealthy person that could raise the baby without any problems. This wealthy person turned out to be my aunt. We never heard from the nanny until a month ago she came to my house and demanded to know my aunt’s address because she had come to get her son back. My family talked to her and told her that she couldn’t do that because her son didn’t know he was adopted and she couldn’t come and try to take him after 15 years. My aunt is heartbroken and doesn’t know what to do. She is also really afraid that her son could leave her and go away with his birth mother. He is an adolescent and is not getting along with his adoptive mother. What can we do to stop this woman? — DESESPERATE COUSIN.

Dear Cousin:

What a story there! Well I think first of all you should tell your aunt to talk to your nanny and reach an agreement. If she is now willing to meet her son, it is for a reason. I am not on her side or anything but I think that is better to talk things out. Your cousin is old enough to know who his real mother is and it probably would be a shock for him to know the truth but he will make the right decision. Don’t worry! Many people have good relationships with their birth mothers and also with their adoptive mother. Things will resolve but I recommend you to stay out of this problem and just be really supportive to your cousin and aunt.