I always listen to my friends’ problems and try to give them good advice, but there are some things that just get under my skin.

My number-one annoyance is my friends who don’t get along with their parents. Left and right I hear “I hate my mom,” “I hate my dad,” “My parents are so stupid,” “They don’t care about me.” I think they don’t know what they’re saying!

What kids need to understand is that regardless of whether you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, or even a best friend, your parents care about you the most. If that’s hard to believe, think about this: How did you get a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and most of all, a place to call home?

If that’s not enough, let’s continue. Look in your bedroom. Where did you get all that stuff? Your bed, the clothes in the closet, the blankets that keep you warm, or all the nonessentials. I bet most of it came from your parents.

I’m sick of hearing how your parents do “nothing” for you. They probably do more than you do for yourself. Consider that next time you start ripping on your parents, who also gave you life.

My second problem has to do with something a little more personal: my father. So many times I have heard friends say, “I hate my dad,” “He is so over-protective - he never lets me do anything.” I simply think, At least you have a dad. Think about kids who don’t. Your parents care about you, and that is why they’re so protective.

My father ran away. After my mother divorced him, he just left and didn’t say where he was going. I had always been “daddy’s girl,” which made this even harder to cope with.

So, please stop before you say “I hate,” especially if it’s about a parent, and think about those of us who aren’t lucky enough to have two caring parents.