Are You A Natural Psychologist

1. Your mother-in-law offers a steady stream of criticism disguised as “advice.” You:

Change the locks, avoid all contact and calls. Listen, thank her, then go about your business as usual. Respond in kind: Deliver a stream of “advice” to her about her own life Immediately change the topic of conversation.

2. You and your significant other have just had a big fight. You both said some pretty nasty things you can’t unsay. You:

Go out for a walk alone. Sulk for a day, expecting the atmosphere to eventually thaw. Make an effort at swift repair, saying something on the order of: “I’m sorry, that didn’t go the way I wanted.” Reconcile yourself to a new level of disconnect.

3. Your 22-year-old daughter is a new college grad and has wangled an in-person interview for a highly desirable job. This is her first rodeo and she is extremely nervous. You:

Reassure her that everyone’s in the same boat. Accompany her to the interview. Prep her with the kinds of questions interviewers ask to make her comfortable with the situations she might find herself in. Suggest she ask whether it’s okay to bring her support animal.

4. Your partner has been down in the dumps lately, and it’s not only hard to get them interested in doing anything, it’s begun to take a toll on the relationship. You:

Give them a pep talk. Frequently reassure them how much you love them. Ask a friend to stop by more often. Gently take your partner by the arm and go for a walk, even it’s just around the block

5. Your fourth-grader comes home from school and declares ”nobody likes me.” You:

Reassure your child that Mommy and Daddy love them. Pay no attention, knowing everybody has a bad day now and then. Ask what happened that didn’t work out the way they wanted? Allow your child extra screen time.

6. You have a good job yet your boss micromanages you, leaving you frustrated and increasingly demotivated. You:

Arrange a meeting with your boss’s boss. Ask to be transferred to a different position in a different division. Suffer in silence, because you know your boss relies on your work. Figure out your boss’s concern and draw up the oversight framework accordingly; arrange a meeting to proactively lay out.

7. You spot a married friend having very cozy drinks with someone not their spouse. You:

Immediately dial the friend’s spouse with the details. The next time you see the friend, you ask them how they like the drinks and or ambience at that cocktail space, but reveal nothi Keep the information strictly to yourself. Let all your mutual friends know that something seems to be going on with your pal.

8. Your two grown kids have always been competitive. They haven't been talking to each other for months—but detailing each other’s “missteps” to you. Heartsick, you:

Take no sides and tell them both you look forward to seeing them at the family holiday dinner. Arrange for them to take their dispute to your minister. Listen silently to all their complaints about each other. Reconcile yourself to separate relationships with them and arrange separate visits.

9. You know your spouse is watching porn even though they promised not to—again. You:

See it as a form of infidelity and start thinking about divorce from a proven porn addict. Prepare for a confrontation, armed with screenshots of browser history. Use it as an opportunity to talk honestly about what you’d like from each other emotionally and sexually. Silently protest by refusing all sex.

10. Your kid’s grades are sliding. They shrug it off, but you can’t. You:

Quietly contact the teachers to find out what they think is going on. Offer your child a reward for raising their grades. Start closely monitoring their homework. Ask your kid how they feel about how they’re doing and what they think they need to do as well as they want.