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FIX-A-FIGHT
Do you have a domestic dilemma? A family feud? Let Mike & Tracy help you “Fix-a-Fight!” Call or CLICK HERE to e-mail WZID with your grudge, and your fellow listeners will help you settle your family fracas! Here's a few Fix-a-Fight examples...
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I just had a heated exchange with my husband. We were discussing how it’s now against the law in Bangor, Maine to smoke while driving if you have kids in the car. My husband smokes but not while driving our 2 children. I think New Hampshire should adopt a similar law. He says we already have too many restrictions. As a non-smoker, I’m ready to fight for a no-smoking law when driving with kids. Are you with me on this?
Our 12 year old daughter will turn 13 in June and has already announced that she wants a birthday party. She wants to copy her friend whose parents rented a limo and took her 10 friends to an arcade for pizza and video games. I figure that will run us about $400 which my wife is OK with. We have the money but what’s wrong with a pool party and cookout in our back yard? Today’s kids are getting overindulgent. Am I being a party pooper?
I have an ATM etiquette question. One cold morning last week, I stopped at a stand alone ATM to withdraw some cash. It was a tiny booth, but I was freezing so I buzzed myself in to wait for the woman who was doing a transaction. I was standing inches behind her and suddenly felt like I was invading her space. Normally I DO stand outside until the person ahead of me is finished. Should I have waited until she came out? I need to know because there are more months of cold weather ahead.
Please settle a family squabble. It’s about double dipping. My family often serves veggies and dip, or shrimp with cocktail sauce. It’s not unusual for us to sit around playing cards and dipping a carrot stick into the dip bowl more than once. My husband is grossed out by it saying it’s not a good idea. Maybe he’s right, but we did it as kids and we lived. We do it now and we’re all very healthy. Is this another health thing I have to worry about? I need your opinion before this week’s card game.
Our 16-year old son is going through a fashion phase I don’t care for. He’s been sporting that baggy pants gangsta look where the jeans ride low halfway down his bum. He’s a B-student in school but I worry about who he might be hanging around with now that he’s begun dressing like this. My husband says he’ll pass through this fad and that we shouldn’t squash his experimenting with who he is. I think the low rider look is disrespectful. What, if anything, should we do?
My husband and I have been happily married for 19 years…but I’m at my wit’s end. Because he tosses and turns so much, I don’t sleep well. At times I move to another bedroom during the night which makes him feel badly when he knows I can’t sleep. I know some couples permanently sleep apart for this reason, but he won’t hear of it. He’s in good health and we’re both at a loss as to what to do. Help! Signed…Ready to move down the hall.
This summer I will be getting married for the second time. When I began discussing who should be there, my fiancée said he’d like his ex-wife to attend. They get along fine and I actually like his ex, but I’m not sure I want here there. My fiancée was hurt when I showed some apprehension. I’m really on the fence about this and need some help before the invitations go out.
I read recently that Bill and Melinda Gates only allow their 10-year old daughter 45 minutes a day to play computer games or use the internet beyond what she might need to help her with her homework. I suggested we implement the same with our 10 year old daughter. He completely disagrees, saying the internet is her generation’s way of communicating and enjoying recreation. He thinks 2 hours on weekdays is reasonable. I say 45 minutes. Who’s right, my husband or me?
I’m a 47-year old divorced woman who has been dating again following a 20 year marriage. Two weeks ago, I was out with a really nice guy for our third date. Then he asked me, “Have you had any cosmetic surgery?” Truth is, I have had liposuction and a tummy tuck. I didn’t say “yes” or “no,” but directed the conversation elsewhere. Should I just tell him everything? In today’s dating world, people my age are more direct with personal questions, but that one caught me by surprise. I’m new at this dating thing and need some guidance. Is it OK to ask these types of things early on and should I be firing away too?
I am a divorced mother of an 11 year-old daughter, who I amicably share custody with her dad. Despite my decent relationship with her father, we disagree on one aspect of raising Sarah. Sarah gets dropped off by the school bus daily about 2 hours before I get home. Her father insists she should not be home alone, despite being mature for her age and living in a safe neighborhood environment. He’s adamant about this issue. Is 11 years old an appropriate age to leave a child home alone for a few hours?
Help settle an argument. My wife works with a woman who is getting married soon and we’ve been invited to the reception. This couple is registered at Macy’s and my wife wants to get them a gift that way. Since this is a young couple, I think cash is a better idea, but my wife thinks it’s too impersonal and insists we go through Macy’s. Any help out there? Who’s right, me or my wife?
Our attic has bats and my husband refuses to evict them. Last Monday we noticed a bat coming and going from our house. A pest control technician said there were 2 adult and 3 baby bats which were not ready to fly yet. I want them out now, but my husband wants to let the babies mature then have them humanely removed. Sorry. They creep me out. He says they’re harmless and keep the insect population down around our house. Should I be patient or stick to my guns for immediate removal?
I can’t believe I’m writing to you about this argument. My husband and I just found out we’ll be having a baby which we’re thrilled about. I want to know the sex of our child as soon as we can find that out but my husband wants it to be a total surprise. My girlfriends can’t wait to throw me a baby shower and like me, want to know the gender so they can buy appropriate baby outfits. I’m afraid it will be too difficult to keep the baby’s sex a surprise from Mike if we have a shower. Should I go along with my husband’s wishes or find out the baby’s sex and hope for the best?
I heard recently that money is a common reason couples get divorced. Since I want my marriage to Jeff to get off on the right foot, I suggested we consider having our own bank accounts in addition to a joint account for bills. Money expert Suze Orman says women should have their own account but Jeff feels it encourages dishonesty. We love and trust each other, but I know statistics don’t lie. I hope your married listeners can give me some practical advice about this. Should I insist on having my own bank account?
I am a 36-year old local 2nd grade teacher and I was wearing a small nose stud until I was asked to remove it because, in the school board’s words, “it isn’t professional dress.” In its place I have a small band aid. My evaluations have been perfect and it seems parents and students like me. In my opinion, if anything, the cover up could be more distracting than the actual nose jewelry which is quite small. Do you think I should solicit the aid of my teacher’s union to allow me to wear this while teaching?
Check this one out…Thursday night I was at the mall and I saw a kid, about 10, drop an item she was looking at. Well, this $80 figurine shatters into a hundred pieces and the kids just walks away like nothing happened. When a clerk asked what happened, I clamed up as I watched the guilty party leaving with a person I presumed to be her Mom. Later that night I told my mom about the incident and she said I should have pointed out the perp to the store’s manager. Do you agree with my mom or would you have minded your own business like I did?
My wife and I have very different tastes in vacations. We compromise by alternating preferences. She likes 5-star Caribbean trips, I enjoy camping in the White Mountains. Last year we went to St. Maarten. Well, this year it’s my turn and I had planned for us to join some friends for a camping trip in NH in August. It’s a nice camp with good showers and clean facilities. She doesn’t want to go but I do and told these people we’d be coming. Do you think it’s Ok for me to join my friends even if my wife wants to stay behind?
Steve and I have been married 7 years and everything is fine, EXCEPT it drives me crazy that he thinks nothing of eating a piece of food that drops to the floor. He jokes about the 3-second rule and that he’s never gotten sick from eating off our floors. Problem is, my 6-year old is copying his dad, who thinks it’s cute the Collin does the same thing. Should I insist they both stop this practice or am I making a big thing out of nothing?
I came home from work Wednesday and the first thing my wife tells me is to pick up a mouse the cat killed on the patio. She’s been home for 5 hours so I asked her why she didn’t do it? She said because “that’s MY job.” On the other hand, I’m willing to do laundry but she won’t allow it. Seems she’s stuck in some gender job thing. Should I leave well enough alone or try to get her to pick up dead mice and let me do some laundry?
I have a 17 year old nephew in Michigan who attends a public school system that automatically suspends any student caught using portable electronics on school property. Administrators believe this will improve safety and cut down cheating. Parents like this rule. Kids think it’s going too far. I’ve considered proposing the same policy for our town’s school board to consider, but would first like to hear from your listeners. Is banning all non-school related electronic devices on school campuses a good idea?
As most of you know, I have been accused of cheating in last week’s football game with the NY Jets. A sideline camera was confiscated that we used to monitor signals from the opposing team. The NFL has fined both the team and me personally for violating a rule I interpreted differently than the commissioner. Here’s my question. Do fans really care that most if not all teams do this and is the media making more of this than it should?
I work for a company that has announced it will deduct $5 per paycheck from everyone in the company who smokes starting in 2009. Random blood tests will be given to check for nicotine in the blood. Supposedly this will help keep health insurance rates down if people quit smoking. I feel like our privacy is being invaded. Plus I’m tired of smokers being picked on. Should I get our union involved or start looking for a new job since I’m not giving up smoking?
We are an office of about 50 employees with 5 different departments. We currently have 7 pregnant women, some of whom are on their second and third child. Needless to say, it becomes quite costly for the employees and creates all kind of opinions of how and what should be done. We’ve tried showers after work but the turnout is very low. Some people don’t feel they should contribute as they don’t know the person very well. Others can’t afford it. Just wondering how other offices handle baby or wedding showers.
I heard your fix a fight last week about baby showers at work and have a similar situation to ask about. Our town’s school system is no longer allowing kids who celebrate birthdays to have a classroom celebration with cake or other treats. Instead, a monthly recognition is given to children who have a birthday for a given month without sweets. I’m fine with this but some of the children miss it. Do you think it’s a bit extreme taking this traditional celebration away from the kids?
I’m writing about something I heard on the news last week. A school in Colorado is confiscating student cell phones and transcribing text messages stored in the memories. I think there was suspicion of drug activity so the administrators took some phones to check it out. The local American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says they’ll sue the school on behalf of the kids whose privacy is being invaded. I’m in favor of this and wonder if your listeners agree that it’s OK to look at student text messaging if they feel there is a need.
I don’t want to come off sounding like a Pollyanna, but I get annoyed at people who break minor laws. I never do anything about it but feel I should. For instance, people snacking at the grocery store salad bar. I’ve always want to call littering hotlines when I see people throw trash or cigarette butts out their car windows, but I never do. Problem is, you never know who might take a nutty for you getting involved. Does anybody out there play sheriff, or look the other way to avoid a possible dangerous confrontation?
I just read that a third of plastic surgeons say they perform procedures that were gifts, which gave me an idea. My wife of 13 years, whom I love dearly, is sensitive about her weight and has casually mentioned in passing she wants to get liposuction someday. Since it’s hard to think of things to get her for Christmas, I thought this might be appreciated. Or maybe she’d be offended thinking I don’t feel she looks good enough? Should I buy her a plastic surgery gift certificate for Christmas?
We had a situation on Thanksgiving. Dave and I got married in July and hosted our first Thanksgiving. Dave’s mom offered to pitch in so I asked her to bring a tossed salad, which she did. However, when she arrived, she took over the kitchen advising me how to make stuffing and mashed potatoes. It took me by surprise so I gave in and let her do her thing. I took my husband aside and asked him to speak with her but he said he was uncomfortable doing that on the spot. I don’t want to appear ungrateful but I want my kitchen back next holiday. What should I have done?
Our 12 year old black lab needs about $2,200 worth of surgery to correct a serious condition. Because money is tight, we are canceling a spring cruise we saved for all this year to pay for the procedure. Now my wife wants to buy health insurance for Buddy which I am not in favor of. Because of Buddy’s age, premiums are higher than average. I like the dog, which was my wife’s when we got married. I don’t want another surgery surprise but I don’t think insurance is a good investment at his age. This has caused friction in our relationship. What advice can you give us?
My husband and I have two reasonably grounded, good kids. Our girls are 8 and 10. The older daughter gets a few more privileges than her younger sibling, like later bed time and limited phone usage. Emma, the 8-year old has been protesting a lot lately by saying “it’s not fair.” We don’t feel that we favor one over the other. My husband has explained to her that “life isn’t fair.” Even though I know he’s right, how should we handle the complaints of our 8-year old?
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