Dear Shayna B.,

I love your column in the Jewish Link and it makes my week special!!! I have a huge problem, and I think you’re the only one who can help me. I am late to my bus every single day and everyone always gets so mad at me that I am late. It makes me very sad. What should I do?

Sincerely,

Always Late Abigail

Dear Always Late Abigail,

I have many family members who have similar issues regarding being on time so I am very qualified to give you advice for this problem. I’ll share with you the advice I give them. You should always set your alarm clock an hour earlier than you usually do. That also means you have to go to sleep early. Or you can ask your parents to wake you up early. That’s not fun either, though.

Another idea is to spend less time on each thing you do to get ready. For instance, if you spend five minutes in the bathroom, spend five seconds. The school has a bathroom. And if you spend three minutes brushing your teeth, spend three seconds. Everyone has cavities anyway even though they brush twice a day. So maybe that’s not really as important as your parents make it out to be. Your dentist may not like this but I’m sure your bus driver will. And if that doesn’t work, you can always be thankful for Sundays!

Best of luck,

Shayna B.

Shayna is a fourth grader and understands what kids in elementary school are going through. She is happy to help others navigate this tricky time. She can be reached at [email protected]. She is looking forward to hearing from you soon.