Boy Talk
Dear Auntie Agony,
Well I have this friend, and all she talks about is boys. My dad doesn’t like that and I want to be a true friend, so I tell her don’t talk about it. But she won’t stop. What should I do?
It sounds to me like your friend has just discovered boys, or a particular boy, and like anyone who discovers something new and interesting it’s on her mind all the time. If this is a relatively new change in her life it might just be a phase she’s passing through. You could gently remind her that there are other interesting things in life to talk about and that your friendship is becoming a little boring when you can never chat about anything else.
If she’s been going on about this for a while, and not listening to you, it doesn’t sound like she’s being a very good friend. She’s not respecting the boundaries your dad has set (and good job for having the kind of relationship with your dad that you can talk about these things!). She’s not allowing you to share in the decision about what your discussions are about. She’s being kind of selfish.
Some interest in boys is natural and normal, but sometimes when people are obsessed it takes a blunt statement to get their attention. You might try one more time and tell her, “I know you’re interested in talking about boys all the time, but I’m really not, and my parents are uncomfortable with it. It’s not worth getting in troubled over this. I like our friendship, so when you’re ready to talk about other stuff, too, give me a call.”
Be brave. It’s better for you to tell her the truth straight up before she loses all of her quality friends or heads down a road that leads to nothing but trouble.
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
Proverbs 10:8