ASK IVANA- ADVICE FOR THE MILLENNIUM -AFTER DEATH!

FOR 14 years, Ivana Trump shared her worldly wisdom with GLOBE readers — delivering no-nonsense advice on love, business and family matters. Here are some of the straight-shooting socialite’s greatest bits of guidance from her fan favorite Ask Ivana column!

Question- SHOULD I DATE MY SON’S FRIEND?

I’m a 42-year-old woman who got divorced seven months ago. I have a son in college who recently brought home a friend for a weekend. This boy is a very handsome year-old, and ever since the visit he’s been phoning me almost daily to chat — and he says he wants to start dating me! I know it’s trendy now for women to have younger boyfriends, but I still feel weird about it. And I worry it may affect my relationship with my son. What should I do? — R.R., RENO, NEV

ANSWER

Usually, I’m all for a younger man–older woman relationship, but this isn’t some random toyboy you met at a party. This is one of those boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed because it could create an extremely awkward situation for your son. How do you think you’d feel if your mother was sleeping with your buddy? Go ahead and feel flattered, but listen to your inner warning bells, and don’t encourage the relationship.

Question- I CAUGHT MY BOSS CHEATING ON HIS WIFE

I recently went to happy hour at a bar in a nearby town, and while walking to the bathroom I saw my boss sitting in a corner booth, kissing a woman who was not his wife. He saw me, so I just half-waved and kept walking quickly. Since then, my boss has been extremely cold to me, has berated me in front of co-workers and has been shooting down all my ideas. I’m really afraid he’ll fire me. What do I do? — J.C., NAPERVILLE, ILL

ANSWER

If you haven’t already, start keeping a detailed record of his office antics. It could come in handy if he does fire you and you decide to take legal recourse. Meantime, I think you should request a private meeting with him. Without mentioning the specific incident in the bar, explain that you have absolutely no interest in his personal life. Then ask him how you can improve your work. My guess is that he will sigh in relief and move on. But if he threatens to fire you for no apparent reason, hire legal counsel!

My mom was sick with cancer for nearly two years before she died. While she was ill, my father started seeing another woman, who I hate. Now he acts as though Mom never existed. She’s barely in her grave, and he’s already talking about having this other woman move in with us. I’m only 16, and don’t know who to turn to. I’m hoping you can give me some advice. My mom always read GLOBE and thought you were the best advice columnist around. — G.S., SAYREVILLE, N.J.

ANSWER

No matter how badly you are hurting, running away is not the answer. You and your father have both been through a horrific ordeal. Watching a loved one suffer from a terminal illness is one of the hardest things a person can go through. And everyone deals with the pain in a different way. Your father apparently needs this woman for support. Talk to him one-on-one about how you feel. I’m sure you are his first priority, and maybe he’ll slow down his new romance for your sake. Good luck.

I met a man I get along great with except for one thing — he’s got a foot fetish. He’s always talking about how pretty my feet are and loves to massage them. He also buys me sexy shoes and asks me to wear them when we make love. I do love him, but this fetish makes me feel uneasy. I’ve asked him to back off the feet thing and he says he will, but never does. Is there any solution to this problem? — L.O., NEW ORLEANS, LA.

ANSWER

A foot fetish is not the kind of thing that can just be turned off with the flick of a switch. It’s something that is deeply ingrained, and you probably will never be able to separate him from this behavior. And asking him not to partake in his pleasure is like him asking you not to do something that you enjoy in bed. My suggestion is to either learn to enjoy his attention to your feet or give him his walking papers.

Question- SHOULD I CHEAT TO GET EVEN WITH MY GAL?

While I was on vacation in Canada with my family, my girlfriend got drunk with her friends at a bar and hooked up with some guy. She apologized and said it didn’t mean anything to her and that she really loves only me. But I was real upset, so she suggested I go out and cheat on her to “even the score.” Do you think that’s a good idea? — L.J., SALEM, MASS.

ANSWER

I think in this case the old adage “two wrongs don’t make a right” holds true. But to be frank, neither you nor your girlfriend sounds ready for any kind of committed relationship. For her to flippantly suggest that you bed a gal out of spite suggests she doesn’t really care that much about you and this probably won’t be the last time she strays. If you think having a fling will somehow even the score, you’re way too naive. Anyone can make a mistake, but for your girlfriend to advise you to make the same mistake is nothing short of idiotic.