6. Take away their devices for a week. Or three.5. Designate a common area for phone use, not the bedroom.
4. Place limits on their screen time, eliminating one hour at a time.
3. Sign up for notifications whenever they download a new app.2. Don't tell them your Apple ID password and then "forget it" so they are now stuck with games they are tired of or have already beaten.1. Force them to go outside after a certain amount of time and touch the grass.
Dear Mask,
I play Fortnite every day for 25 hours, but every time I play, my Unreal friends say I'm bad, and I’ve said it's the controller’s fault way too many times. Help me come up with a new excuse, Mask!
Sincerely,
The Guy from Fortnite
Alabama
Dear The Guy from Fortnite,
You are in luck: I am really great at making excuses! My personal favorite excuse is the classic, “My dog ate my homework.” This excuse can be adapted for any situation. For example, if you break your foot, you could tell them the actual reason why your foot is broken, or instead you could say, “My dog ate it.” The great thing about this excuse is that people always believe it. In your case, I would suggest telling your Unreal friends that your dog ate the controller, and now the dog’s intestines are playing Fortnite with your controller and your dog is the one who is bad, not you. Or you could just practice and get better. But that’s no fun.
Woof woof,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I've been having trouble with my friends lately. Last year, we were a very good trio and always stuck with each other. But now I feel like we're just two separate duos. I've also seen them go and talk to each other alone many times. I know that they can be friends with each other if they want to, but I have some trust issues. Could you give me advice on how to control my trust issues and make sure I can still be part of a trio?
Sincerely,
Stressed Trio Member
San Jose, CA
Dear Stressed Trio Member,
This must be very tough for you. I have been in a similar situation, and I made the mistake of taking it too personally. If you are feeling left out when they’re talking to one another, you can try to bring yourself into the conversation. But the fact that you’re not included in a conversation does not necessarily mean they are going behind your back or that you should not trust them. Maybe you can have a talk with both of your friends separately about how you’re feeling. Hopefully you can feel reassured.
Confrontationally,
The Mask
I think my friend likes me. He always buys me flowers and presents on holidays. If this helps, I've known him since elementary, so we’re super close. How do I ask him if he likes me without ruining our friendship?
Sincerely,
Girl Who Needs Answers
Mississippi
Dear Girl Who Needs Answers,
If you really think he likes you, and you like him, then I suggest you ask him about it. Who knows? Maybe he really does like you. But I think you should keep in mind that some boys feel obligated to get presents for a girl when that girl is a close friend. I don’t think you should worry about ruining your friendship with him because if he is a true friend, he won't care if you ask him about his possible feelings for you. But I know this is a very scary position to be in, so be strong and best of luck!
Hopefully,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I’m extremely stressed. My best friend unexpectedly told me that they “downloaded TikTok.” Okay, what?! We made a promise to stay on YouTube Shorts forever! YouTube Shorts has better content (Prime, Skibidi Toilet, anime, etc.), and TikTok is just cringe. Ever since they downloaded it, they’ve been all distant and they’ve been playing sports, even though we made a promise to not play sports because they are useless and just to keep to our hobbies, not TikToks. But now they started watching it more and more, and I just can’t deal with it. They’ve started hanging out with the “cool” kids who all watch TikTok. How do I convince my best friend to stop watching TikTok and come back to the light side?
Sincerely,
Disappointed BFF
San Jose, CA
Dear Disappointed BFF,
Once you lose your friend to the dark side, you may never be able to get them back. They’ll be scrolling forever and ever and ever. Even as they’re hanging out with you, they’ll keep on scrolling, from day to night. A bad advice columnist might tell you to report one of their videos to TikTok so that their account gets banned, but not only would that be unethical, it would also not work, because they could just create a new account. So if you still want to stay close, I regret to inform you that the best option is to break your promise and scroll on TikTok endlessly together. And ever and ever…
Slay,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I have waited my whole life for my own room. Recently I learned that I would finally be getting my own room! All my hopes and dreams are coming true. Then I learned that the room my younger sister is getting is two inches bigger than mine. I know that I deserve the bigger room. What should I do?
Sincerely,
The One With the Small Room
San Jose, CA
Dear The One With the Small Room,
You’re right; people often don’t realize how much of a difference two inches can make. We all know that room size one hundred percent communicates which kid is the parents’ favorite, so this is clearly a sign that they don’t love you as much as your sister. I have some simple advice: Kidnap your sister. Lure her one day with candy or something, and watch as she falls into your trap. Keep her in your basement, with nothing to listen to but Taylor Swift, until it’s moving day. With no sister around, the bigger room will surely be yours. What could go wrong?
Room for improvement,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I love Reese's so much that I'm thinking of starting a cult around them. The problem is that starting cults is not socially acceptable. But I still wanna do it, so can I have some tips on how to start a cult and get people to join?
Sincerely,
Reese's Lover
San Jose, CA
Dear Reese’s Lover,
There comes a time in every person’s life when they contemplate starting a cult. Starting a cult takes a lot of dedication and passion. To do it successfully, gather your extroverted friends and coax them into manipulating their acquaintances. Start off slow, casually mentioning how amazing Reese’s taste. Whoever agrees with you is who you’re going to target for your cult. If no one joins your cult at first, you should keep nagging them until they cave. Next, identify a charismatic spokesperson and have them go out out into the wild to attract even more followers. Shun from your community anyone who doesn't like Reese’s, or who is allergic to peanuts (for their own safety, of course). You can then create a figure to look up to, such as “The Reese’s Man,” and have ceremonies to honor them. But be careful: You may get tracked, watched, and even arrested by the authorities. Don’t mind them; they're just haters. One way to get around the authorities is to call your cult a “religion,” which makes it sound less sketchy.
Or, you could just start a Reese’s club at school.
There’s no wrong way,
The Mask
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Almaden Country Day School. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to replace parental or professional advice.
