Dear Old Guy welcomes letters on all subjects, including love, marriage, child rearing, even basic plumbing and medical advice. What he doesn’t know, he is happy to make up. After all, he’s just an opinionated Old Guy.

Submit your questions to Dear Old Guy here.

Dear Old Guy,

I have a smart 10-year-old son who is very unhappy in school. Every day he has a new story about being picked on. Teachers tell me he’s disruptive. Needless to say, every day it’s a chore to make him go. He heard somewhere about home schooling and wants me to do it. I can’t just quit my job. It’s gotten so we argue constantly.

Signed, Frustrated Mom

Dear Frustrated,

Really, my heart goes out to you and your boy. He’s probably disruptive because his needs are not being met by the school. What I strongly recommend is, find the time to volunteer in your kid’s class. Even an hour a week will make a difference. That way your son will see you're getting involved and you will get a better grip on the situation. Just complaining without really knowing what is happening won’t accomplish a thing. —O.G.

Dear Old Guy,

I recently came to work for a great company. The problem is Sally who does about half of what she is supposed to do. It seems she spends as much time doing personal stuff as she does doing her job. Worst yet is I have to take up her slack otherwise I could just ignore her. Sally has been here a long time and frankly I don’t know why she hasn’t been fired. Is it time to speak up?

                                           Signed, Silent Too Long

Dear Silent,

Remain that way. Keep your head down, do your job and back away from covering for this woman. The fact is you haven’t been at the new job long enough to know the interpersonal dynamics such as, is Sally sleeping with the boss or blackmailing him... In the meanwhile be open to new employment elsewhere. —O.G.

  Dear Old Guy,

Do you think people in their 50s and 60s are kidding themselves about finding love? Aren’t most people set in their ways by then?

                                                       Signed, Better late than never?

Dear Better late, God, I hope I’m not kidding myself.

Short story but true… when I was a kid I sometimes wondered why would anybody over 40 have hopes and dreams…. My reasoning was what’s the point of having them come true so close to the end of life? Okay, so I wasn’t your average child. But, now that I’m well past 40, my wishes are no less real... frustratingly late perhaps, but no less real.

As for old folks being set in their ways, have you talked to a teenager lately? —O.G.

 Dear Guest, of course I give fashion advice. I can tell you right now, don't throw those paisley ties away. They'll be all the rage soon again... -O.G./