Outspoken Football Mom Dishes Her No-Nonsense Parenting Advice

Annie Apple is not only mother to Eli Apple, the New York Giants 2016 first round draft pick - she’s also taken social media by storm with her unapologetically blunt posts and straight-to-the-point attitude toward parenting. Here’s what she had to say in response to our audience questions.

Q: “We’re ready for retirement. I want to go somewhere overseas where our money will last longer but my wife wants to stay put because she says she’ll miss our sons too much. What should we do?”
A: “We raise children to leave,” says Apple. Parents spend years making sacrifices for their children, “this is your time, go find a place with no wifi and leave!”

Q: “I recently moved to New York City from Indiana and am having trouble making friends. I’ve even gone as far as direct messaging other women on Instagram to see if they want to meet up. What’s the best way to make friends in a new city?”
A: Apple recommends meeting people by simply doing the things that you love. “Don’t let the pressure of making friendship weigh you down,” says Apple. “Just go about your day, go about your life, and never direct message on Instagram for friendship!”

Q: I want to go to college in California, but my family is on the east coast and my mom fears our relationship will suffer if I go to school that far away. What do you think?
A: Apple says she understands both ends of the spectrum here, on one hand, you always want your children to be able to spread their wings, on the other, you want them to be safe. “If mom is funding your adventure, I think you can come up with some accountability factors for the both of you,” says Apple. “Check in, let us know -- don’t just go off and disappear.

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