Dear Annie 10/17

Dear Annie: I am an attentive, loving grandmother to a handful of grandchildren. Last Christmas, it was announced two weeks prior to their arrival that one of the grandchildren was choosing to identify as the opposite sex while being underage. We were asked to play along with the NEW name!

We are trying to wrap our heads around this. In the meantime, the child has started taking drug therapy to permanently deepen their voice. Would this not be considered child abuse on the parent’s part to allow their underage child to make an adult decision that is irreversible?

Another question: What young teen is capable of making such a life-altering decision? – Concerned Grandparent

Dear Concerned Grandparent: Since you are the grandparent and not the parent of the child, your options are limited. You can tell the parents how you feel about this, especially your thoughts on the measures being taken that are irreversible. As for the child, embrace them with open arms and lots of love and call them by the name they want to be called by.

Dear Annie: I am 60 years old, and my husband is 65. When we are out together, he stares at younger women in their 20s. I mean – he stares and stares. This is very embarrassing for me, and it makes me feel disrespected.

When I tell him what he does, he says I am lying and that it’s all in my head. He says I have no confidence.

Please can you help me? Am I making too much of this? – Embarrassed

Dear Embarrassed: Your husband IS disrespecting you. To make you feel bad about not wanting him to leer at 20-year-old women is just plain wrong. You are 100% correct that his behavior is inappropriate. It has nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with class and respect. He has to cut that out.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.