DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is a happy kid. He is 12 years old, and his friends are the same. Two of his best friends got iPhone 6s for Christmas. I think this is crazy for a child that age. My son knows that he got great gifts for the holiday, but he is envious of his friends. I do not think that a child his age should have responsibility for an expensive phone. How do I talk to my son about this so that he understands without sounding rude? -- Practical Mom, Washington, D.C.
DEAR PRACTICAL MOM: Sit your son down and have a chat with him. Bring up his friends and their new phones. Point out that it is normal for him to feel a little twinge, given that his two best friends received something that many people long to have right now. Then, let him know that every family has different values. Your family does not think it is wise to give a child something so expensive and fragile, so you did not consider giving him such a gift. Ask him if he likes the things he received for Christmas. Help him to focus his energies on what is before him. It can be tough when he allows his mind to wander over to what his friends have. Your job is to help him keep his sights set on what is actually his.