Ask Sir Charles

Q: Charles, my ex-wife is a great mom, but there's one thing I'm worried about: She and her current husband are quite wealthy, and when my kid is at their place, he basically gets whatever he wants. How do I make sure my kid doesn't turn into a spoiled jerk?

- A Father in Horsham

A: Dude, you're the father and you should have an equal say in how your son is raised whether you're married, divorced, separated or just friends. Let her know how you feel. This shouldn't be a competition. You both need to teach your son that a parent's love isn't measured in how many pricey presents he gets. It's very hard to raise kids these days, but your best hope for not raising a spoiled jerk is to not treat him like one.

Q: I want to scream every time some professional athlete starts talking about being a "warrior." Sports is not war, and I find the comparison both disrespectful to those who serve and utterly lacking in understanding of just how horrible war really is, romanticizing something than shouldn't be romanticized. Is it just me - or do you find this to be a familiar complaint?

- A Patriot in Paoli

A: I'm with you, bro. It's disrespectful to all the men and women who have served in the armed forces and know full well what it means to go to war. Boxing out Charles Oakley for 48 minutes and getting well paid to do it is hard work, but it's not war. Many sportscasters, broadcasters and fans have a tendency to use ridiculous metaphors that take sports outside the realm of what it really is - spirited competition. It doesn't compare mentally or physically to fighting a real war. That's just plain wrong.