Dear Amy: The other day I had an experience I hope never to repeat but fear may happen again before long.
I am a 49-year-old menopausal woman who has recently gone back to work after being a stay-at-home mom.
I made a minor mistake at work, and for the next hour I was fighting tears. I have never been a crier, and this was an emotion I just couldn’t turn off.
I thought I was hiding it fairly well until I overheard a male co-worker asking another if I was OK.
What should I do? I truly wasn’t nearly as upset as it seemed, but I couldn’t tell him what the problem was.
I probably could, now, while I’m calm. I could make a joke about it, but I’m afraid that it will just make matters worse. To make matters worse, I am one of only three women in the office, and all of the men are young.
– Crybaby
Dear Crybaby: I went to hear Nora Ephron give a speech recently about her funny new book on aging, “I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman” (2006, Knopf). Ephron reflected on her experience directing “Sleepless in Seattle.” During the filming, she was in the full throes of menopause, sweating her way through hot flashes, as her young cast and crew looked on, bewildered, while she piled on layers of clothing and then stripped.
In short, menopause happens.
However, I don’t think that it’s necessary to draw attention to one’s hormonal issues at the office. It’s enough to say, “I’m so sorry. I was just having a bad moment, but I’m fine now.”
…
Dear Amy: I am writing about the issue of providing snacks for children after sporting events.
I think it is important for our children to eat healthy, but what is this world coming to when a simple snack once a week will ruin a child’s health? I have four children – ages 12 to 36 – who have all had the occasional treat, and they are all healthy. These snack police need to give their kids a break.
– Snacks are Fine
Dear Snacks: I’ll tell you what this world is coming to – it’s coming to a generation of obese children. Unfortunately, for many kids, the snacks are not a weekly, but a daily event. It’s just as easy to offer a healthy snack as an unhealthy one.
Send questions via e-mail to askamy@tribune.com or by mail to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
