Speak Up Diplomatically and Explain How You Feel

Dr. Robert Wallace
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:00:00 -0700
Lifestyle

DR. WALLACE: I'm an 12th grade high school student and I work part-time remotely from home doing customer service work for a large consumer products company. My parents helped me find the job through a connection of theirs in the business community, and the pay is definitely reasonable, but the longer I do this job, the less I like it.

I don't like having to wear a headset and talking directly to customers who endlessly complain, and even when I have days that I'm working only via instant messages or emails, it's truly more of the same, but just coming in a different format. Not only is the work boring and unrewarding, but hearing endless complaints kind of brings me down as well.

On the other hand, I am beyond fascinated with the four Artemis II astronauts who recently launched on the mission to orbit around the moon. I don't feel I'm cut out to be an astronaut anytime in my lifetime, but I would love a supporting role behind the scenes doing anything that would contribute to something as interesting as space travel, for example.
Updated: Wed Apr 15, 2026

DR. WALLACE: I'm an 12th grade high school student and I work part-time remotely from home doing customer service work for a large consumer products company. My parents helped me find the job through a connection of theirs in the business community, and the pay is definitely reasonable, but the longer I do this job, the less I like it.

I don't like having to wear a headset and talking directly to customers who endlessly complain, and even when I have days that I'm working only via instant messages or emails, it's truly more of the same, but just coming in a different format. Not only is the work boring and unrewarding, but hearing endless complaints kind of brings me down as well.

On the other hand, I am beyond fascinated with the four Artemis II astronauts who recently launched on the mission to orbit around the moon. I don't feel I'm cut out to be an astronaut anytime in my lifetime, but I would love a supporting role behind the scenes doing anything that would contribute to something as interesting as space travel, for example.

Do you think I should just try to tough it out and grind out this job that my parents have lined up for me, or should I tell them how I truly feel and that I would much rather work doing something else, even for less pay, part-time, that I truly find interesting or at least semi-rewarding? — Unhappy Customer Service Rep, via email

UNHAPPY CUSTOMER SERVICE REP: Life is too short to do something you truly find distasteful, and I feel this applies to any age of an individual. Yes, this is a bit delicate since your parents went out of their way to create an opportunity for you, but that shouldn't place you in the position of having to suffer in silence. Sit down with both parents soon and explain to them exactly how you feel. Explain that you would like to move on from this job, but that you want to honor the referral by leaving on good terms, doing your best work as you seek to wrap this job up, and that you will give a complete two-week notice so that you don't leave the company shorthanded in the meantime.

I feel your parents will likely be understanding of your wishes, and they should respect you for having the willingness to be responsible and give a full two-week notice to the company. If you can accomplish this smoothly, each dwindling day should bring you more and more relief and you should find it easier to complete your tasks successfully, knowing the finish line is in sight.

I would also recommend that you mention your interest in the space program to your parents, and ask them if they have any other connections or suggestions that could help point you in the direction of a part-time job that might involve science or mathematics, since both of those factors heavily into the field of space travel and related fields you have an interest in going forward.

MY FRIEND IS OVEREXTENDED AND WANTS ME TO BAIL HER OUT!

DR. WALLACE: I have a very close girlfriend who has overextended herself socially, and now she's begging me to help her as we come down to crunch time in the school year.

She joined two groups of on-campus organizations that she found interesting at the beginning of the year and she took a leadership role in one and another responsible position in the other. She constantly tells me she can't keep up with everything, including her schoolwork. This has her begging me to help her with some of the overflow she is experiencing.

I don't have any interest in the organizations and clubs she's involved in, but it's not like they are tasteful or anything. They are just organizations I don't really care much about. I believe she got involved in these groups to enhance her social life and status, but she definitely overcommitted herself.

Since I have a lighter social schedule and a steady boyfriend whom I only see once a week because of his sports, I do have time to help her, but I don't want to be taken advantage of either. What do you think I should do here? Should I bluntly tell her I'm not interested, or swallow my pride and offer to help her out to get her around the corner between now and the end of the school year? — My Good Friend is Overcommitted, via email

MY GOOD FRIEND IS OVERCOMMITTED: I find your use of the phrase "swallow my pride" a bit off-center and perhaps even out of place here. You stated that you have the time available to help your friend, so you either want to help her or you don't.

Whenever friends ask for help, they are not always asking for something that you would immediately like to do! Friends often ask other friends to help them move, for example, which is something very few people would volunteer for normally. But for a good friend, they'll step up and help out.

That's where I see your situation at this point. Now, if you want to be sure that your friend does not overextend herself again in a similar manner in the future, you can qualify your willingness to help her by saying that you'll do it this particular time, but you can't promise that you'll drop everything and help her to catch up with all of her "social" responsibilities in the future.

Friends generally step up and help out their good friends. If you can do it, at least for a moderate window of time, my advice would be to give it a try, even though the subject matter is not anything you find remotely interesting. Doing so will build your goodwill and you never know when you may need to ask for a favor someday in return that is important to you.