Dear Doctor Love,
Every year Christmas bruk me up, but this year things really tight. The cost of living high, my rent gone up, and I still want to give my children a nice Christmas. My family always does a big dinner, but I honestly can’t afford to chip in like before. I feel shame to say anything because everybody else seems excited and ready. How do I handle this without disappointing my kids or looking like I don’t care? /s/ Worried for the Season
Dear Worried for the Season,
Breathe, my friend. You’re carrying more than bags from Mirab, you’re carrying expectations, pride, and that deep love only a parent knows.
Let me tell you something simple but true: Christmas is not for sale. People try every year to buy the feeling, and every year they end up broke and tired. But children remember moments, not price tags.
There’s no shame in saying, “This year, I’m doing what I can.” That’s not failure, that’s wisdom. If your family is truly family, they’ll understand. And if they don’t? That’s between them and their own hearts, not yours.
As for your kids, give them what money can’t buy: time, calm, and your presence. Let them decorate with you, bake something simple, make a silly game out of nothing. Years from now, that’s what they’ll talk about, not whether the turkey cost $200 or $20.
And remember you’re not “less than” because life tight right now. You’re still the one holding the roof up.
Walk gently, speak honestly, and trust that love stretches farther than any budget. /s/ Dr. Love
Dear Doctor Love,
I manage several properties on the island, and lately we’ve been seeing a whole wave of new expats moving to San Pedro without doing even the basic research. They arrive expecting “tropical paradise living” but are shocked when they meet real island life, higher grocery prices, humidity, power outages, sargassum, slow season, or that things simply don’t work the same as back home. Some even get upset with me, as if I’m responsible for Belize not matching their expectations.
I’m all for welcoming new residents, but it gets exhausting trying to explain the same realities over and over, especially when a few treat our culture like an inconvenience instead of something to respect and learn. How do I stay professional and courteous without burning out on people who didn’t prepare themselves before choosing to live here? /s/ Tired Property Manager
Dear Tired Property Manager,
You’re not alone. San Pedro has been dealing with this since the first foreigner tried to order almond milk in a corner store.
What you’re feeling is normal. You’re not just managing properties; you’re managing expectations, egos, and sometimes people who believe paradise shouldn’t have mosquitoes. That’s heavy work.
Here’s the thing:
You can’t teach someone what they refuse to learn.
And you certainly can’t carry their frustration like it’s your luggage to unpack.
Set your boundaries:
“Here’s what the island is. Here’s what it isn’t. Here’s what I can help you with. The rest is Belize being Belize.”
Say it kindly, say it consistently, and then release it. You’re not the Minister of Weather, nor the Queen of Sargassum, nor the Keeper of Grocery Prices. You’re a professional, not a punching bag.
And when you meet the ones who treat your culture like an inconvenience?
Smile with the calm of someone who knows the island always teaches the lesson they skipped.
Protect your peace, my friend. You can welcome people without letting them drain you. /s/ Dr. Love
Dear Doctor Love,
My neighbor loves to throw parties every weekend, and lately it’s been getting out of hand. The music plays till all hours, the golf carts block my driveway, and sometimes their friends get loud and disrespectful. I don’t want to start any beef because we live on the same street, but my family needs peace, too. How can I talk to them without causing drama in the neighborhood? /s/ Enough Parties
Dear Enough Parties,
Lol, the weekend warriors every neighborhood has at least one. Some people think the whole street signed up for their soundtrack.
Here’s the path with the least fire:
Talk to them before the next party, not during. A calm moment. A simple tone. No accusation, no heat just truth.
Something like, “Hey neighbor, I know everyone likes to have fun, but lately the late nights and blocked driveway been rough on my family. I’m not asking you to stop your joy, just help keep things respectful.”
When you speak softly, people tend to hear you better.
When you speak early, problems don’t have time to grow teeth.
Most folks don’t mean harm they’re just lost in their own good time. And if they do mean harm? Then you’ll know, and you can take the next step without guilt: police, neighborhood council, landlord whatever fits the situation.
You’re not starting drama. You’re setting a boundary.
Even Buddha would’ve asked someone to turn the music down after midnight.
Go with peace, but go with firmness too. /s/ Dr. Love
Doctor Love is the islands, and possibly the world’s greatest authority on just about everything. The Doctor answers questions concerning any subject except religion or politics. Persons needing additional assistance or counseling should contact Family Services Division at 227-7541. The opinions herein are not necessarily of The San Pedro Sun. Write Doctor Love at PO Box 51, San Pedro Town, Belize, or email: [email protected]
