Dear Mr. Dad: I’m 15 years old and in the 10th grade. I will turn 16 just after school lets out for the summer and I want to get a job. However, my father won’t let me. He says that I’m too young and that he works to support his family. I think I understand his point, but I don’t like to ask my parents for money and I want to have my own.

A: Wow. I must commend you for your desire to work during your summer vacation—and for starting to think of it so far in advance. It shows maturity and level-headedness that many kids your age (and older) lack. So kudos to you. Be careful, though, there are parents all over the country who would love to have you come to their house to give their teens a pep talk.
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Dear Mr. Dad: Our teenage son has an iPod constantly hanging from his ear and as far as I can tell, he listens to the music much too loud. When I ask him to lower the volume because I’m worried that the noise is damaging his hearing, he just laughs. However, I am really worried. What should I do?

A: You’re absolutely right to be concerned about your son’s listening habits—as you suspected, there’s no question that he’s jeopardizing his long-term ability to hear. As far as his shrugging off your pleas to turn down the volume on his iPod, it’s all part of his irrational belief (one he shares with most kids) that he’s indestructible and that nothing bad can happen to him because he is young and strong. Or maybe he thinks that hearing loss only affects old people.
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Dear Mr. Dad: When my kids were young I worked a lot and wasn’t around as much as I wanted to be. But now that I’m retired and a grandfather, how can I make up for it and build strong relationships with my grandkids?

A: There’s no way to make up for lost time, but there are some excellent ways to be an active, involved part of your grandchildren’s life.

• Stay connected. Call, write, email, text, Skype, or twitter. There are tons of ways to keep in touch.

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Dear Mr. Dad: People are always talking about being an “involved dad,” but everyone seems to have a different definition of what that means. What do you say, and how does one go about getting “involved”?

A: Well, in my view, being involved means taking an interest in your child, being supportive, and making him or her a priority in your life. Easier said than done, of course. Here are some specific ways to go about it.
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