Let counsellor Keren lighten your load

Our relationship expert Keren Smedley has over 20 years’ experience

- Keren Smedley

Why does he get a free lunch?

Q We’re struggling to meet our financial obligations as we have some debt and a big mortgage.

Unfortunately, we don’t qualify for benefits, which would help. My son goes to school with a boy whose parents clearly have money and he gets free school lunches. How could that be? Jane, London

A There can be many reasons – for example, if the child is long-term fostered, he’ll receive free lunches as this will be part of the costs paid by the local authority. Lots of foster parents and children don’t tell their friends of their circumstances. Another reason could be that there is a disability you don’t know about. This is a really good example of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. I think your energy would be much more productively used if you channelled it into looking at your circumstances and ways to improve things rather than looking jealously at others.

Why are people always late?