No teen girl should sleep in dad’s bed

Dear Annie: I’ve been with “Ryan” for five years. We both were married before, and we each have a child from those marriages.

Ryan’s 15-year-old daughter, “Beth,” comes to visit every other weekend and for the entire summer. During her visits, she never leaves his side. Beth has her own room, but during her weekend visits, she sleeps in our bed. Over the summer, Beth demands that we not close our bedroom door at night. On top of that, she stays up until it is time for all of us to go to sleep, so we never have a moment without her.

Beth needs to know where we are every second. If she takes a shower, as soon as she gets out, she asks what we were doing while she was out of the room. Due to all this interference, sex is nonexistent. We are never alone, and with the bedroom door open, we can’t be intimate because Ryan thinks she will hear.

Beth is a very mature 15-year-old, and I think there should be rules for her to follow, as there are for my child, and that Ryan should put his foot down when she makes these unreasonable demands. I have expressed my concern, but he says she is here only a short time and we should put up with it. What do you say? – His Partner

Dear Partner: Ryan is allowing Beth to control your relationship, and she is doing everything in her power to prevent you from having sex. Of course, Ryan should set some rules, and the first one is that you are entitled to some privacy. More importantly, no 15-year-old girl should be sleeping in her father’s bed. No matter what else Ryan is willing to tolerate, that should end immediately.

If Beth won’t accept your relationship, and Ryan refuses to set rules, you have some choices to make: You can put up with it, let Ryan stay home with her this summer while you take a trip somewhere fun and relaxing, or rethink your relationship. The problem is not going to disappear.

Dear Annie: My husband finally agreed to have his hearing checked and was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. He now has two hearing aids, but he doesn’t like to wear them. Instead, he cranks up the sound on the TV so loud that it’s uncomfortable for anyone else in the room. He says it’s his home and he can adjust the sound as he pleases. Well, it’s my home, too. What do I do? – Lady Lake Florida

Dear Lady Lake: First, tell your husband to see his doctor and make sure the hearing aids fit properly. If he still won’t wear them, it might be worthwhile to invest in a set of wireless TV headphones that will allow him to turn up the volume to his heart’s content, while the rest of you can listen with less racket.

Dear Annie: I’m still mad, so I guess I’ll write. I’m talking about the woman who was so sanctimonious about mothers changing their babies’ diapers on the plane seat. Where would she like me to do it?

There is no changing station in the bathroom. The options are to place your infant on the bacteria-laden, flimsy toilet lid or, if you are a gymnast, sit on the lid and place the baby on your outstretched legs. If this woman thinks she can birth a baby that will politely hold its bladder until the trip is over, she is welcome to try. – Jet-Lagged Mom

Dear Jet-Lagged: Agreed, it is difficult to properly care for an infant on an airplane, but you still need to have some consideration for the passenger next to the seat with the dirty diaper. Some mothers bring a portable, washable changing pad so they can lay the child on the floor.

At the very least, apologize to your fellow passenger before submitting him/her to this unpleasantness. It will go a long way toward easing hard feelings. (We think the airlines are missing the boat by not providing changing stations on flights.)