DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Being young and stupid, as I now see it, I had a thing with one of my teachers in my senior year of high school. I think it was just because everyone around me already had boyfriends and girlfriends, and I was the geeky, serious kid everyone thought was a goodie-goodie.

The man was a middle-aged, paunchy guy, who had a reputation of losing his temper in class and not being well-liked by the other staff.

I can’t believe I went for the “my wife doesn’t understand me” line he tossed me over the course of several tutoring sessions. Like I say — young and stupid.

The whole thing hit the fan by spring break. He got 2 years in prison, a divorce, and never taught again.

I got in less trouble, except with my parents, who wanted to kick me out of the house, and would have if my grandmother didn’t get involved.

This all happened over 20 years ago, and to this day, I am “that girl who slept with Mr. _____” to the people who went to high school with me, not the happily married woman with two terrific kids, who has never been in any other kind of social or legal trouble since.

My past came bubbling up again at my 20th reunion this summer. For Christ’s sake, when does this thing ever die?

I didn’t even want to go to the reunion, but my husband and parents pressured me into it, saying everyone would see what a normal, successful human being I am, for all my high school stupidity.

After an unbearable night of what people thought were clever and witty jokes about my affair, I told my husband and parents I will not go through this one more time — ever!

But it still makes me wonder, am I still stupid for expecting anything else, or are my old classmates just stalled in their emotional development? --- IT JUST WON’T GO AWAY

DEAR IT JUST WON’T GO AWAY: Many people can’t find their way to getting past the youthful indiscretions or bad judgments of others. In those cases, I often feel like those who aren’t able to move on are the ones displaying emotional immaturity.

Our missteps and mistakes form the building blocks of our character. You’ve clearly grown beyond your past, and that’s the important thing.

Whether or not you attend a future reunion is entirely up to you, and you alone. If you’d rather skip it, then that’s what you should do. It doesn’t make you anything other than disinterested in investing time and emotional energy on something that only gives you pain.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I love my stepson, “Bryce,” and have since I began dating his father when Bryce was just starting preschool.

Bryce is a great kid. He is kind, compassionate, and respectful, a good student, and seems to have a lot of friends.

About a year ago, when he turned 10, he started expressing a desire to dress differently and seemed to want to spend more time with his female friends instead of his male friends, some of which he has been tight with for as long as I can remember.

Now that he has turned 11, he has made it clear to us that he feels, as he puts it, that he is in the wrong body.

My husband, his ex-wife and her husband, and I totally supported Bryce’s expression of who he feels he truly is.

His mom and her husband, with my husband’s consent, have begun the process for Bryce to start receiving puberty blocking treatments.

Even though my husband is onboard with this, I think it’s the wrong way to go.

For one thing, Bryce is still so young and has a lot of growing to do, physically and emotionally. His mother started him in therapy a year ago, and it was through the therapist that the whole subject of the puberty blockers came up as a way to help children struggling with gender dysphoria, which I acknowledge Bryce is experiencing.

But I also believe there is time to let Bryce figure things out before starting him on treatments, which could be what he wants now, but he could also change his mind about after being on them for an extended time. Some research I’ve seen warns there can be irreversible changes or permanent damage to the growth process in adolescents taking puberty blockers.

I have discussed my worries with Bryce, my husband, and his ex-wife, but they are all set to move forward. I completely agree that to deny Bryce his rightful gender would be wrong, but I am just not convinced puberty blockers are the way to go.

Am I being selfish in my thinking? --- JUST THE STEPMOTHER

DEAR JUST THE STEPMOTHER: Since you’re following your heart in wanting what you are convinced is best for your stepson, I don’t believe you’re being selfish.

On the contrary, I think it would be odd if as one of the adults most closely connected to Bryce, you weren’t concerned with his wellbeing and welfare. Sharing your worries with the other main adults in his life, even when you’re in the minority, is a loving and caring thing to do.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Our daughter and new son-in-law each had a condo before they ever met and got married. It seems strange to my wife and me that they have told us even though they are married, they intend to continue keeping both places, with no intention of renting or selling at least one. They said they like the idea of each having a place they can go to be on their own a few nights a week.

My wife and I have been married 32 years, and have always shared our homes together. We started out in a tiny apartment, and worked our way up to the house where we raised our kids. It never occurred to either of us to have separate homes to escape to — although during the raising of our kids, it would have been nice to have somewhere to hide once in a while!

Does this mean, as my wife suggests, the two of them have not fully committed to their marriage, or can you think of less gloom and doom reasons for a young couple to have separate homes after getting married? --- ONE HOME WORKS FOR US

DEAR ONE HOME WORKS FOR US: It could have absolutely nothing to do with a reluctance for the couple to commit to their marriage.

In fact, there’s a term for your daughter’s and son-in-law’s living arrangement. It’s called “living alone together,” and it appears to not be as uncommon as you might think. From what I understand, some couples see it as a way to strengthen their relationship.

The newlyweds in your family have chosen this option for their own reasons. Perhaps you can eventually ask them directly why they have decided on this separate homes lifestyle. For now though, I think you and your wife should not jump to any dour conclusions.