eCRUSH's Advice Girl Answers Your Chambelán Questions!

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If you don't know her already, Advice Girl gives the best dating advice around on eCRUSH.com. She dropped by MisQuinceMag.com to answer your biggest questions about chambelanes! Remember, these are her opinions — tell us if you agree!

Should I ask my crush to be my chambelán, or ask one of my cousins?
- Sara
Dear Sara,

Sure, ask your crush to be one of the dudes in your court — you could even use the Chambelán Finder on MisQuinceMag.com to find out if he really likes you. But don’t give your crush the honor of chambelán número uno. For that, ask one of your cousins — or at least one of your good guy friends — but don’t ask your crush. Why? 'Cause your quince is going to be nerve-racking enough, what with the dancing and the speeches and the mile-high stiletto heels. You need someone by your side who’s gonna calm your nerves, not make them worse. Plus, what if the guy ends up being a total jerk? Then you’re stuck with a bunch of photos of him as a permanent reminder that your night wasn’t as fun as it could’ve been.

Now, what if your crush becomes your boyfriend? And by the time your big day comes around, things are going well enough that you think he’d make a great chambelán? Then, by all means, ask him. But in case he breaks up with you a week later, make sure you have the latest version of Photoshop and someone who knows how to use it.

I was thinking about having an all-chambelán court, basically so there aren’t any girls to take away the attention from me. What do you think?
- Daniela
Dear Daniela,

Well, since you asked, I think it’s a pretty foolish idea. First of all, your fear is totally unfounded: When it’s your quince, nothing can take the attention away from you. You’re the star and everyone knows it, regardless of how many pretty ladies are flocking all around you.

Second of all, if you love your friends, having them be your damas will make a great day even better. Why? They’ll calm you down, compliment you to death, and make everything a little more fun. (Not to mention how fun it’ll be to pick out their matching dresses.)

Third of all (and this is the most important one): Ever heard of quid pro quo? If you don’t include your friends on your court, they won’t include you on theirs. And won’t that be a bummer?

My dad's really overprotective. Now that I'm about to turn 15, how can I convince him I'm ready to date?
- Carmen
Dear Carmen,

Okay, I know you’ve already heard this a thousand times from your dad, but I’ll say it again ('cause I really believe it): He’s only being strict because he loves you. When you start dating, you’re bound to feel bad things like heartbreak, pressure, confusion, all that. And there’s a chance you might run into some creepy guys who have no business playing around with your emotions. Your dad just wants to protect his baby girl from all those scary things.

What he’s probably afraid to admit is that you’re not a baby anymore, and you might be mature enough to handle all that bad stuff on your own (and to know the difference between a good guy and a creep). But a quick convo isn’t going to do a darn thing to change his mind. And as for the pouty, immature shouting matches you’ve had with him in the past? Yeah, that’s not helping your cause any.

So what do you do instead? Obey his rules, and earn some cred along the way. (Don’t sneak around behind his back — he’s bound to find out.) If there’s a guy you want to date, let your dad meet him and see that he’s a nice, normal guy who’s totally willing to play by the rules. (And if he’s not? Then he likes you for the wrong reasons, and you’re better off without him.) Be honest and open about what’s going on in your social life, and always stick to your curfew. If you can prove to your dad that you’re mature, then he might just ease up on the whole dating thing.

Check out Advice Girl's regular column on eCRUSH.com. While you're there, meet cute guys, take love quizzes, and read your horoscope!

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