Dear Annie: Give folks time to adjust to news
Dear Annie: I am an 18-year-old girl and have a great relationship with my parents. The problem is, I like girls. (I know the correct term would be lesbian, but I somehow find that word offensive.) And I am scared to tell them.
I always thought once I was grown up and on my own, I would be able to come out, and lately I’ve felt the urge to tell them. I have a great girlfriend, and I want them to know about my relationships and be involved the way they are with my brothers. But I don’t want things to change. I don’t want to feel uncomfortable around my parents, and I don’t want my sexual orientation to cause problems in their marriage.
Please, Annie, can you help? – Scared of Change
Dear Scared: Your sexual orientation should not cause problems in your parents’ marriage. Although we understand your trepidation, we believe they would rather be part of your life and include your partners than risk losing you. It doesn’t mean there won’t be awkwardness at first, so you have to give them time to accept the new reality and deal with the change in their expectations. Contact PFLAG (pflag.org), 1726 M Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036, for support and suggestions on how to approach your parents about this.
Dear Annie: I am a 25-year-old single mom of a beautiful little boy. I work a full-time job and go to school part time in the hope that I will become a state trooper.
Like any other single parent, money has been tight. My health insurance coverage through work is OK, but my dental plan is terrible and, as a result, my teeth have become a big problem.
Where can I go to get my teeth fixed so that in a year I still have enough teeth to get a good job? I am trying extremely hard to make a better life, but every time I think things are going well, something happens. – Smileless in N.Y.
Dear Smileless: We have covered this topic before, but it bears repeating. Dental schools and public health clinics often provide free or low-cost dental care. Check your phone book for your state dental society, visit the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Web site at nidcr.nih.gov (click on “Finding Dental Care”), or write to the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse at 1 NOHIC Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3500.
The Bureau of Primary Health Care supports federally funded community health centers across the country that provide dental care. Contact the HRSA Information Center (ask.hrsa.gov/pc) at (888) ASK-HRSA (888-275-4772).