Dear My Friend,

A few years ago, my twin sister and I received a computer game for our birthday. Now our father says our little sisters should be able to play it without “seeking permission.” We’ve tried saying, “If they have to share our presents we should get to share theirs.” Our mother pointed out that theirs are not “the sharing kind.” So I’m stumped.

Signed,
The computer game is ours!

Though it is proper to “seek permission” before using something that belongs to someone else, perhaps your father is trying to help you and your twin sister learn to share. Yet it’s understandable that you’d like your younger sisters to “respect” your things and to ask before using them. Learning to share and learning to respect others (and their things) are equally important. So you might ask your parents if you can come up with a solution that focuses on sharing and respecting each other’s wishes. It could be as simple as agreeing on certain times of the day or certain days of the week when your sisters can use the game without asking. Other than that, they should “seek permission.” That way, you’re learning to share, they’re learning to respect you and your things, plus your parents won’t have to settle arguments!