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Neglected dogs leave neighbors barking mad

By Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

I was 48 years old when my baby was born; I am 50 now. Whenever I meet other older parents, we all have the same issue with people making these sorts of comments. Please put the call-out to get this to stop.

-- Happy Mom

Dear Happy: I am happy to help you broadcast your request, but it's an unfortunate fact of life that people ... say things. Sometimes people intentionally say hurtful things, but most often -- dumb questions, doofus observations or random sentences just escape, and cannot be called back.

The wisest thing for you would be to come up with a response that makes you feel good, every time you say it, because if you think this is bad now, just wait until your toddler is old enough to play soccer.

I like to disarm with the truth. You can say, "I'm not the grandma, I'm just the world's oldest and luckiest mom."

Dear Amy: Your response to the person signing her question "Lonely Woman" caught me up short. She was complaining about not finding the right guy, and your answer truly distinguishes the difference between a typical male response and that of a thoughtful woman.

While I may have told the writer to "buck up" or "try harder," your response was insightful ("your insecurity, desperation and habit of blaming others"), supportive, and provided proper direction.

 

Thank you from a happily married man, who is always eager to learn.

-- Faithful Reader

Dear Faithful: I'm very grateful for the note of support. I don't always get things right. But I do see this column as a place where people can learn, be inspired and help each other.

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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, Texas, 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)