Issue 14

Dear Andy,

I bet you’ve never heard this one before… my grandpa thinks a nickel is $500 – no kidding. He used to think a penny was $500. Yesterday, I heard my mom and her sister talking in the kitchen about grandpa spending all kinds of money gambling and using credit cards and grandma was crying about losing the house. I wasn’t supposed to be listening so I don’t want to ask my mom. We had a class on gambling problems in school last year, and I was thinking… maybe my grandpa has a problem. What do you think? PS... I think you’re cool.

Travis,
age 14

Dear Travis,

I think you should talk to you mom. Tell her, just like you told me, that you were listening to her and your aunt talk about your grandpa. Tell her you had a class last year about problem gambling and when you heard what you heard, you thought about what you learned in that class. By talking to your mom directly and honestly, maybe you can help your grandpa if it turns out he has a gambling problem... Let me know what happens. PS... I think you’re cool, too.

Andy

Questions? Contact the webmaster.