2 . You’ve reached that special time — you are getting ready to leave your job and move on to the next step in your career. But the end of an employment relationship is not necessarily the end of the relationship — with either the leader or the company.     1    

I learned this relatively early in my career. At first, I was concerned I might lose my relationship with my now former boss, as I truly liked him.    2    My boss enthusiastically stayed in touch with me, and I helped him onboard my replacement and consulted on other projects. And now, more than 2 decades since I left, we are still in communication and friends.

That isn’t to say it always goes like this. When I left another role, in spite of my desire to maintain communication, my former supervisor seemed indifferent and the relationship ended. Sometimes your boss was a nightmare and you want to end the relationship.     3     You don’t owe the bad bosses anything. That’s exactly what I did when I was fired from a freelance role after I asked to be paid for my completed work!

But for the good bosses and organizations, the ones that invested in your talent and celebrated your achievements, things are different.     4     The breakup can become a breakthrough.

    5     Especially when you have a truly delightful and respectful boss, you may feel guilt, sadness, or regret. But your overall responsibility is to yourself and your career — not to one organization. And given the right circumstances, it is almost always possible — and usually beneficial — to leave gracefully.

3 . How to Respond when Someone Judges You

Dealing with judgment from other people can be tough, especially when it’s coming from a friend, family member, or colleague. Judgmental people are unavoidable, but you can easily deal with their criticism using positivity and compassion.

Rid yourself of the judgment. Remember that a judgmental person’s words are a reflection of their own beliefs-and not yours. Critical people criticize themselves more than anyone else.     1    .

Be sympathetic. Practice sympathy to understand the source of this person’s judgment. It could be that they were judged by parents, family, or friends, in which case this person’s critical attitude would be something they learned(and not necessarily intentional). While that doesn’t excuse their behavior, having sympathy can inform your response. Say things like “    2    ,” or “I see where you’re coming from, but…” when you respond to someone’s judgment.

Ask for clarification.     3    . Ask this person to explain what they said, and find out their motivation for saying it. You could ask then, “What are you trying to say? If you have constructive criticism, I’m open to hearing it.” That way, you’re giving the other person a gentle reminder to phrase their words constructively.

    4    . Be polite but firm when you call out judgmental people. If somebody crosses a line and makes you feel criticized, tell them how you feel. If someone is giving you criticism you didn’t ask for, you could say, “    5    , and I have a plan that works for me.”

4 . Mary uses a walking stick. Benjamin recently learned how to walk. Mary is 99. Benjamin is 2. The neighbors may seem like _________friends, but during the pandemic (疫情), they formed a unique _________at the fence between their houses in Minneapolis.

“Benjamin just turned 2 years old. We’ve been _________with Mary long before he was born,” Benjamin’s mom, Sarah Olson said. They didn’t see Mary much, _________last year when the COV1D-19 pandemic _________and the family had to stay home, Mary was someone they could _________—outside.

During the pandemic, the Olsons _________played in their yard, and Mary would be in hers. Benjamin would _________Mary when he saw her in the yard and they would play games. There's a 97-year _________gap, but Benjamin doesn’t see it.

“She’s just Mary, or ‘Mimi’,” Sarah said. “We’re inside and he’ll go, ‘Mimi? Mimi?’ and we'll go outside and ____________Mary. Then Mary will call out, ‘Hey Benjamin!’ How ____________a scene it is!”

For Mary, who was completely ____________during the pandemic, a friend was just what she needed. It seems Mary has ____________a childlike spirit with Benjamin, playing with bubbles and even water guns.

More than a year after they first started ____________together, Benjamin and Mary still ____________each other's company. Benjamin and Mary's friendship has ____________so many because people like to see relationships form so ____________for young people and elderly people. “We didn't have to work on it at all; it just ____________,” Sarah said.

“Friendship can be ____________in so many different ways. I’m really happy they’ve developed this friendship, ” she said. “It is such a rewarding ____________for both of them.”

5 . Teen Dating（青少年约会）can be fun if you are aware of its pros and cons(优缺点) and are also aware of the ways to protect yourself. There are a couple of suggestions you would like to know before you are out for dating.

Do not go out for dating with somebody whom you have seen only a few times and does not know much about him or her.

Before leaving on a date, know the exact plans for the evening and make sure a parent or friend knows these plans and what time to expect you home. Let your date know that you are expected to call or tell that person when you get in.

Similarly, if you leave a party with someone you do not know well, make sure you tell another person you are leaving and with whom. Ask a friend to call and make sure you arrive home safely.

No matter how good the person appears to you, trust your inner instincts (直感). If a situation makes you uncomfortable, try to stay calm and think of a way to remove yourself from the situation without letting your date realize what is going on in your mind.

Be aware of your decreased ability to react under the influence of alcohol or drugs and keep yourself in control when out for a date.

Always stay firm, straightforward and clear in your relationships, thoughts, decisions and judgments. Never let a doubt come to your mind or face when out for dating. If you are firm and clear in your communication, your date will always be careful in dealing with you.

You should think ahead about ways to be safe if you are in a dangerous or potentially dangerous relationship. Adults, like parents, teachers, counselors, can be trusted in such cases.

6 . As teens grow older, it’s normal for them to spend more time with friends. It’s a normal part of teens’ development and a lot of socialization (社会化) is healthy.     1     If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to limit the amount of time your teen spends with friends.

Time with friends influences other responsibilities.If your teen ignores his responsibilities because he’s spending too much time with friends or chatting with them on social media, he needs help in managing his time. It shouldn’t get in the way of doing homework, finishing things, or taking care of other responsibilities.     2     Provide enough guidance until he’s better able to refuse invitations from friends.

    3     Don’t stop your teen from having any contact with his friends. However, that is likely to cause bad results. Your teen may simply think he can’t hang out with his friends because you won’t let him — not because he recognizes they’re bad. Create rules that will help your teen make healthy choices. Make it clear that there will be results for misbehavior.

Your teen is breaking the rules. Spending time with friends is a special right.     4     Don’t give him unlimited access (接触的机会) to his friends if he’s not earning that special right.

Your teen is hardly at home.     5     If your teen wants to spend the night at friends’ homes more often than usual, set some limits to make sure that he’s spending time with family.

It’s important for you to pay attention to your teen’s activities. It’s also important that your teen is around so that he’s still being influenced by you and your family values.