Dear 'GMA' Advice Guru Top 20 Finalists: Liz Pryor

Nov. 26, 2010 — -- Liz Pryor from Studio City, Calif., is a finalist in the Dear GMA Advice Guru Contest. Read her application below!

Essay

Dear GMA, What you describe for this position is what I love, and what I do. I wanted to take this opportunity to give you my advice on the credentials the person should have, who ends up with this incredible job. The ideal candidate for the GMA advice guru-needs to: a. Have written and published a book to help women, b. Already be expert at giving advice in other media, c. Be experienced and comfortable on camera, d. Have expertise in multi-tasking as a single mom of three, and e. Have lived a good amount of life. Preferably, she should have been married over ten years, and divorced three, have a decade of commercial acting experience from earlier years in life, come from a large all-American family in the Midwest, have a passion for good living, and presently live in L.A. My entirely unbiased advice is to hire me. My name is Liz Pryor, I'm an author, and a professional giver of advice both on radio and online.

What's the best advice you have ever given? What was the result?

A friend of mine was getting ready to tell her children, ages 10,13 and 14, that she and her husband were getting divorced. She was a mess, and asked, did I have any advice on how to make this easier for the kids. I suggested she write each of them a letter, say in the letter all the things she knew they would feel and fear, and reassure them everything was going to be alright. I told her to put the letters on their pillows in their bedrooms. When she asked why, I told her to trust me and do it. She did it. And when the kids were told the shattering news, they all ran into their bedrooms and slammed their doors. Her ten year-old sleeps with his letter, and several months later she found her old oldest, reading hers in bed.

Liz Pryor is Finalist in GMA Advice Guru Contest

What would you tell this person: "Whenever there is an issue between my mother-in-law and me, my husband refuses to stand up for me. How do I get him to value our relationship more than the one with his mother?

Your husband may just be a creature of habit, "Mom's always right." Sit down with him immediately. Tell him how crazy making this is for you. Acknowledge the importance of his relationship with his mother, she is his mother. And then- feel free to hit him over the head with the fact that you are his wife, the matriarch of his family, and you need to feel his support. When he comes back at you saying he does support you, ask him to show that support and show it in front of his mother. When you're around the two of them for the love of Bruce Springsteen, if and when your husband takes her side, do not let your mother-in-law know you're angry. She could be thriving on this. Get your husband to change his positioning. If you have to remind him that he doesn't sleep with his mother -- go ahead!

What would you tell this person: "While cleaning my son's room, I accidentally saw on his Facebook page threatening remarks from his friends. I fear he's being bullied. What should I do?"

I'm going to assume you're not friends with your son on Facebook. It is a MUST. Apologize to him for being -- late to the party -- on this one, but you're going to have to make it a condition that he befriend you on FB in order for him to have an account. Too much is at stake for you not to do this. Then ask him what's up with the friends posts. He may say, "Mom, we're KIDDING don't be ridiculous." Being friends on Facebook will stop you from guessing what is going on. Parental-Warning: Do not ever comment, or post, or reveal yourself on your child's Facebook page.

Finalist Liz Pryor Could Be New GMA Advice Guru

What would you tell this person: "My boss keeps taking credit for my ideas. What should I do?"

Bummer, sorry to hear this. The good news is, your boss thinks you are of great value -- or he/she wouldn't be stealing your stuff. If you need money, you could always go to your low-down stealing boss and ask for a raise. He/she is clearly no dummy, and may just give it to you no questions asked. But frankly, I think it's a good time to seek employment with the competition! Go somewhere where your brilliant ideas will be recognized.

Submissions have been edited for length, style and clarity.