FEATURES
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2015
Grandson doesn’t like affection Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
Dear Annie: When is it OK
for a child not to want to be
touched by anyone, including his
parents? My 10-year-old grand-
son doesn’t want to hug anyone,
nor does he like people putting
their hands on his back, shoulder
or head. Should this just be ac-
cepted?
Should we use behavior modi-
fication so he will let us be affec-
tionate, or are we just supposed
to respect his wishes on this? If
I put my arm on his shoulder,
he will move away. If my wife
pats him on the arm, he flinches.
When he tells his parents that he
doesn’t like being touched, they
either laugh or get angry. What
do you say? — Miffed
Dear Miffed: Please do not
try to force a child to be physi-
cally affectionate if he does not
wish to be touched. There could
be many reasons for this. Is this
a recent development? Has the
child been touched inappropri-
ately by anyone? Is the child au-
tistic? Is his skin sensitive and
the touching too painful or irri-
tating? And some children that
age become extremely embar-
rassed by any public displays of
affection, especially from family
members.
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
The parents should neither
laugh nor get angry. They should
speak to the child’s pediatri-
cian and ask for guidance. There
could be a serious reason (earli-
er molestation) or something as
simple as needing to be tolerant
and respectful of this stage of his
development. As we hope you
will be.
Dear Annie: A friend is get-
ting married soon and the invi-
tation states that it is going to
be a potluck reception. I have
never heard of such a thing for a
wedding. Is this new? I have al-
ways believed that the bride and
groom should have the wedding
they can afford and not ask the
guests to bring food to the recep-
tion. Also, I found out that she is
having the bridesmaids help set
up and clean after.
I understand the bride and
groom don’t have a lot of money,
but come on! She also had put a
lot of pricey items on her bridal
registry and when I spoke to her
later, she told me she was upset
that she only received half the
stuff she wanted and they were
mostly the less-expensive items.
What is your take on all this?
Should someone say something
to her about her being so cheap?
She already knows that most of
her family doesn’t like the man
she is marrying. — Friend’s
Wedding
Dear Friend: In some cul-
tures and areas of the country,
potluck weddings are perfectly
fine. In those places, the entire
community comes together to
prepare the wedding celebration.
It isn’t a demand on an invita-
tion. It is simply how things are
done. Unfortunately, this doesn’t
sound like the case with your
friend.
Some folks won’t mind the re-
quest and will be happy to show
off their cooking skills. And we
are certain that some guests will
prepare and bring a lovely dish
and consider it their wedding
gift. Your obligation is simply
to respond “yes” or “no” to the
invitation.”
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
STONE SOUP
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
ARIES (March 21-April 19). There are
times when genuine outrage is warranted,
but those times are few and far between.
Mostly, there’s no good reason to get riled
up. Keep your cool, and everyone around
you will, too.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). For those
planning a trip, ignore the rule about houseg-
uests and fish at your own peril. No matter
how charming and loved you are, anything
still lingering after three days starts to smell.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Some peo-
ple believe other people’s lifestyles are
somehow an affront to their own. It makes
no sense to you — you’re a live-and-let-
live sort. Let them argue it out while you’re
busy making money today.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Usually
when you reach the point of being irritated
with absolutely everyone in the world, the
one you’re really mad at is you. Your issue
with yourself? You haven’t given yourself
the much-needed break you deserve.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Too many in-
gredients spoil the soup — or the project,
relationship, schedule, etc. Stick to the
recipe. Great patience and restraint will
be required for exemplary results.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Certain
friends bring out your quick humor, and
others make you feel like you’re always
dodging conversational quicksand. Why
put yourself in uncomfortable situations?
Choose your company carefully.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). As for that
group of hotheads you have to operate in,
sometimes you wonder how you landed
in an environment so rich in narcissism
and delusion. Your main goal will be not to
become like them.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Before
you invent a new way to get to the goal,
give the old one a try. If it works, it will save
you unnecessary effort. Your brain is best
put to work on a problem that hasn’t been
solved by anyone yet.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Manip-
ulation is when you trick someone into want-
ing what you’d like them to want. It leads to
nothing good. You want to influence others to
be their best, but they have to want that, too.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). This is
a day when your body knows more than
you do about what it needs. Listen to the
muscles and appetites that live in you.
Trust your physical instinct.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll
have some explaining to do, not because
your actions are so outside the norm, but
because you’ll be dealing with people
who simply don’t get what’s going on.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Today, the
most effective solution will be so obvious
that it’s easy to miss. That’s why the opin-
ions of inexperienced people will be so valu-
able to you. The very young and the very old
will be especially lucky to have on your side.
WEDNESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 22).
You’ll start your new year finishing old busi-
ness. As you revisit and revive projects,
you’ll find that you have the experience,
skills and judgment that were missing be-
fore. Big money months are August, No-
vember and February. A personal dream
becomes real as you carry your intention
all the way through the finish line. Aries
and Sagittarius people adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 4, 29, 22, 19 and 17.