DEAR ABBY: I am a coach's wife and would love some advice on how to handle "fans" who make rude comments about the people who coach their high school-age kids.
I listen to parents constantly gripe and complain about their children's coaches. How can I gracefully manage this situation? I refuse to listen to degrading, negative comments about my husband and his co-workers. Please advise. -- MRS. COACH IN TEXAS
DEAR MRS. COACH: There is nothing you can do to stop comments like that during a game. Some parents act more like children than their children do. However, if it's happening in social situations, a way to deal with it would be to remind the offenders that you'd rather not hear about "work" when you're trying to have fun. Another would be to excuse yourself if the parent has been drinking.