Ask Amy: Older father hates Granddad assumptions
Your embarrassment reinforces his. Your rudeness to an overweight woman teaches your son that it is acceptable to be mortified for the privilege of your age, and that rudeness is an acceptable reaction when someone makes an incorrect assumption.
Across North America, millions of grandparents are currently raising grandchildren, of course, some people assume that a 68-year-old man is an adolescent's grandfather!
Your age makes parent/teacher conferences challenging? Why? You are there to discuss your son's schoolwork. If a teacher brings up your age, or your child's sensitivities surrounding it, you should ask for the teacher's advice about how to handle it, and be open to a course correction.
Tell your son, "Hey, I understand that this can be hard on you sometimes. But you know what? It is what it is. I feel proud and lucky, and I don't care what other people think."
You cannot change your age. Many families carry burdens. Families cope with poverty, disabilities, and dislocation. Reassure your son that you're healthy and happy, and that you plan to be around to bug and embarrass him for a very long time.
Dear Amy: I am a 75-year-old widow of three years. I got married at 17, and my late husband was my first, and only, love.
The guy friend I'm currently seeing is 78, and has been widowed for five years. He and his late wife were our best friends for 60 years.
We have been through the good times, very good times, bad times, and very bad times. The two of us went through losing our spouses. So, I guess it's only karma that our friendship has blossomed into a romance.
He will be moving in with me soon. He really wants to get married. He's not really pressuring me, but I do know that marriage is NOT what I want at my age.
I want us to live together for a few months to make sure this is good for both of us.
...continued
