DEAR ABBY: I am 17, and my younger brother is 16. He is already a father, and when he goes out with his friends, he ends up getting in trouble. I have tried to explain to him that he needs to stay away from those "friends" and think about his baby. He was arrested four days after the baby was born, and he just got out of jail.
I have already told him I don't want to visit him in jail again, and I don't want my nephew to grow up without a dad. What can I say so that he can stay out of trouble? -- BIG SISTER IN DODGE CITY, KAN.
DEAR BIG SISTER: Although you are only a year older, you appear to be a lot more emotionally mature than your brother. Somehow it seems he has not yet grasped the fact that irresponsible actions bring about consequences. While I appreciate your desire to protect him from himself, it is just not possible. I'm sorry to say that some people have to learn their lessons the hard way, and your brother appears to be one of them.