DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Our daughter is an emergency room nurse in Florida. She has two small children and a husband, who is a high school biology teacher. While our son-in-law keeps us posted about what’s happening when our daughter can’t, we worry that if something happens to her, he won’t want to frighten us and we won’t know until things are really bad, and everything we see on the news only makes it worse.

We couldn’t be prouder of our daughter and all the medical people holding the front lines. But how do we convince our son-in-law that not only can we take the truth, but we need to hear it? --- PROUD BUT WORRIED IN OREGON

DEAR PROUD BUT WORRIED IN OREGON: I think it’s reasonable for you to openly share your feelings with both your daughter and her husband. It’s possible they need to hear directly from you how serious you are about wanting to be part of their lives, especially now. They may be hoping to shield you, not realizing that in some instances, the lack of reliable, first-hand reports can be worse than all the information overload to which we’re constantly exposed.

A Note from “Mom”

Like the parents in today’s letter, my family and I are proud of, and incredibly grateful to, all the men and women and their families, who are rising to the occasion and tending not only to COVID-19 victims, but to everyone else in need in our communities.

To the medical staff at all levels, first responders, public health workers, military personnel, essential retail employees, and everyone putting their own health and safety on the line to help keep the rest of us safe and well — thank you for all you do, and may God bless you and your efforts.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I’m a proud Boomer who worked hard to establish myself in my field, being one of the first women at the company I helped build up from nearly the beginning. I’m still one of the only women partners, and I do whatever I can to bring young women onboard.

It truly irks me that my daughter is taking her husband’s name rather than keep her own, as I did when I married her father 33 years ago. It feels like a backslide. Am I wrong to be this upset? --- WOULDN’T GIVE UP MY NAME FOR ANY MAN

DEAR WOULDN’T GIVE UP MY NAME FOR ANY MAN: As I see it, your daughter has just as much right to change her name as you did to keep yours. Both are conscious decisions, and your respective prerogatives.

Some women split the difference and hyphenate their and their spouses’ surnames. Others keep their maiden name for professional purposes and adopt their spouse’s for their personal lives. I knew a female physician who went that route over 70 years ago, and it worked well for her.

Your daughter has chosen the most traditional option, and she deserves to be respected for her choice.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My boyfriend and I recently moved into an apartment building with one of those open courtyards. I thought it was a good idea when we first got here, but the past few weeks I’ve changed my mind because of this creepy kid who lives across from us. He sits out on his balcony and stares at me whenever I’m out there. If my boyfriend comes out, the kid ducks back into his apartment and must watch, because as soon as my boyfriend goes in, the kid comes out.

I don’t think my boyfriend believes me about this little creeper, and I am to the point where I won’t sit out on our own balcony because I don’t want to deal with either my boyfriend’s doubting me or the evil kid’s watching me.

I know who his mother is, and I want to say something, but what can I say? --- CREEPED OUT

DEAR CREEPED OUT: There’s probably little to be accomplished by trying to tell a mother her kid’s a Peeping Tom in the making. What might help is if your boyfriend believed you.

Maybe you can convince him by finding a way to capture evidence of your peeper creeper in the act. A video recorded on your cell might work.

If the kid knows you’re not the only one who sees him, it might inspire him to find a new hobby.