Put safety first with family contact

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This article was published 05/08/2021 (1881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My son has decided his teenage children are not getting vaccinated. Both he and his wife have received their first and second shots, but they feel the “children” don’t require it. When I try to approach the subject of vaccination, he says things like, “Let me be a father.” He’s very headstrong normally, but this pandemic has put him over the top.

I’m concerned for my grandchildren and for myself, and my son knows I have serious health issues. Is there any way to approach my son about the subject of vaccination without it turning into a verbal free-for-all? He even mocks me for wearing a mask.

— Upset Grandmom, Tuxedo

Dear Upset: You’ve tried, and it hasn’t worked, so all you can do now is wear your protective mask around the grandchildren.

Make no further explanation to your son, only to the kids when they ask. If you come upon new information you think your son should read, send it to him via email. He probably won’t want to listen to you explaining it to him in person.

There may be additional encouragement to the grandkids to get vaccinated from their schools, prior to school opening dates and after.

If the grandkids ask why you don’t come over as much and always wear your mask, say: “I have serious health problems, and can’t afford to take any chances with COVID and the delta variant — until everybody gets double vaccinated.”

Then, drop it. You can bet their parents will hear about it, and there could be some kickback. Oh, well! Grandma is not a non-entity and should be able to express serious concerns.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m a normal teenage guy with sexual feelings. A week ago I went horseback riding with a female friend as it was cooling off in the evening. The sun was setting and everything was golden-coloured, even the water. Then she asked me if I’d like to stop and go for a swim, as we were near a tiny beach on her parents’ land.

I said OK, wondering what we were going to wear! She just stripped off her clothes and ran bare-bum into the water. I’m never one to turn down a dare, so I pulled off my clothes and ran for the water, too. It felt so great! We ended up swimming far out and she put her arms around my neck and kissed me. Then she said, “I’ve been waiting a long time to do that.”

I had always had a crush on her. I said, “How long?” and she said, “About three years!”

We ended up staying in the water together, clinging to each other and kissing and touching, until the horses were restless and the sun was almost down. When we got out of the water, she said, “Don’t tell anybody!”

When we got the horses back and settled, she said, “Bye!” and just took off in her car without a hug or a kiss. She acted like nothing had happened, and I haven’t heard from her since — seven days! I feel pretty hurt. Now what?

— Used By Her? On Lake Winnipeg

Dear Used: Don’t let her get away with this trick. You deserve to know if she was just one-offing you for a giggle, or if she’d like to see you again, and if so, for a real date. Or was it just no-strings attached fun?

Don’t let yourself get taken for an emotional ride. Find out what’s going on — even if it’s embarrassing to ask — so you can stop thinking about it and get on with your life. You need to find a girl who sincerely likes you for more than a giggle, not just experimentation.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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