Okay then, I won’t get you a bike, but, if I were you, I’d really consider learning to ride one. It’s great exercise, and a great way to get around your neighborhood and play with your friends. If you keep falling, you can ask your parents to find a nice grassy field, like a soccer field, and teach you there, so it hurts less when you fall. And you will fall, that’s part of finding your balance. (This, as I’m sure your parents will tell you, is true of life in general. When we make mistakes, that’s how we learn, so don’t sweat it.)

I’ll work on the scooter, they are also great exercise and fun to do with friends.

If I don’t manage to get a dollhouse down the chimney, you may be able to make one with the boxes left over from Christmas. I know that when Cat was little, she used to do that all the time. She would make wonderful houses out of boxes. You can even use wrapping paper as wall paper, rugs and art on the walls.

I can’t make your parents get back together. Sometimes, even when it’s hard, parents have to split up in order to help them be the happiest people they can be, and that will make them even better parents to you too. I know it’s hard for you, but they are teaching you a really good lesson, and maybe that’s their gift to you. They are teaching you that you deserve to be happy, even if it’s hard, and they are showing you that you can work through the hard stuff to find the kind of happiness that you deserve. And you know what’s even better? They are showing you that love lives in even the hard and scary places, like divorce.

I will talk to your parents about the puppy. I think that pets can be a wonderful way for kids to learn responsibility, caring and about how strong love is. Especially at a time like this…..

Hang in there Sara. Be sure to talk to your parents about what you are feeling, and let them talk to you about what they are feeling. And you guys will all build a life filled with love, you’ll see. Change is hard, but it’s usually good.

Please re-write this letter, and I want you to think about a few things before you do.

First, you do not NEED any of these things. You WANT them. It’s okay to want things, we all want things, and it’s nice to have silly surprises and toys in our lives. But you should know the difference between wanting something and needing something. You parents should be able to explain that you, if not, let me know, and I’ll do it.

Second, pick one or two of these things, not all of them. And, please go online and look at how much money these things cost. It’s okay to spend money, but it’s also important to put it in perspective and think about other things that money could do. I would encourage you to look at how much money those things cost, and find some sort of charity that could use that much money, and think about what they would do with it.

Again, it’s okay to want things, to have things, and to spend money on things, but we need to be sure that we have some perspective on the true value of things in the world.

Thanks Angela, I look forward to hearing back from you.