DEAR ABBY: I read your column often and find it deeply troubling when girls write you lamenting that they are "still single." I'm 18, in my freshman year of college and I have never dated. I'm perfectly OK with this.

I'm not writing to bash girls who are in high school relationships, but rather to show there's an alternative. Abby, please remind them that it's fully acceptable for us to spend our teenage years single if we prefer. No one should feel pressured into a relationship because "everyone else is dating."

Girlfriends, if you're not ready for dating, then focus on discovering your beliefs, your purpose and what your talents, passions and values are. If you choose to do it accompanied by a partner, that's fine. But if you prefer to journey alone or with your friends, that's just as valid. -- INDEPENDENT IN RACINE, WIS.

DEAR INDEPENDENT: I agree! You are a self-confident, mature young woman, and you're delivering an important message to your contemporaries. I hope they'll give your message the consideration it deserves.

DEAR ABBY: I recently read an idea that I think should be shared with every parent in the world. You and your child/grandchild should establish a family password to be used if the child is ever approached by a stranger who says, "Your mother is sick and she asked me to come and get you." By asking for the password, the child throws the would-be kidnapper off guard, and the child has an opportunity to flee. -- VIGILANT IN VIRGINIA

DEAR VIGILANT: That suggestion is one that appears on many child safety websites, and it's certainly worth mentioning here. I'm sure many parents and grandparents will thank you for submitting it.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 13-year-old girl in eighth grade, wrestling with a problem I never thought I'd have -- a crush. I have liked "Garrison" for two years now. He's funny, sweet and cute, and he has stood up for me against bullies. We aren't in any classes this year, so I only see him in the halls.

I have no clue what to do, since I have never had a crush before and I'm not going to date yet. It hurts my heart. I know crushes are fleeting, but can you help me figure out what to do in the meantime? -- CRUSHED BY CRUSHING IN TENNESSEE

DEAR CRUSHED: Your crush seems to be a young man with character, courage and self-confidence -- because that's what it takes to stand up to bullies. Because he stood up for you, he already knows who you are. So when you see him in the hall, smile and say "Hi." That's not being pushy; it's being friendly. And if you're sitting around with an aching heart, I have a solution: Get up and get moving. Join a club, a sport, dance class or do some volunteering.

DEAR ABBY: My father is dating a woman who is not only my ex-boyfriend's mother, but also the woman he cheated on my mother with and left her for. I don't want to be around her and have told my father this, but he doesn't accept or respect my feelings. Being around them causes stress on my marriage because my husband doesn't want to be around her either, and we don't want her around our children.

This is causing so much stress that at times I'm afraid it could end our marriage. When I try to talk to Dad about this, he acts like there is no reason for me to be uncomfortable and blames my husband for these feelings. It's like he completely denies that there is any way I could feel the way I do, even though she has brought nothing but negativity into my life.

I don't know what to do. I want to still have a relationship with my dad, but my marriage comes before this. How can I keep both? -- IN THE MIDDLE IN PENSACOLA

DEAR IN THE MIDDLE: Your father refuses to acknowledge your feelings because he sees you only as an extension of himself. Your opinions "surely" must match his own, and if they don't, then they must have been planted there by someone else. In his mind, he and his lady friend have done nothing wrong, so how could you possibly object? That you could have a moral compass that points in a different direction is not on his radar.

Because your dad insists on imposing this woman on your family, recognize that you probably can't have one without the other. That will mean seeing your father far less than you would like, and away from your husband and children -- if at all. Under no circumstances should you allow your father to destroy your marriage as he did his own.

DEAR ABBY: I was wondering if you could help me out with a co-worker who is constantly on her phone. Four, five, sometimes eight times a day she is making and accepting personal calls. It's very distracting to the rest of the office. When she's not at her desk, it's then my responsibility to cover for her.

I would like to find a polite way to say "these phone calls can be made after hours." I do not want to ruffle any feathers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. -- TOO CHICKEN TO TALK

DEAR TOO CHICKEN: The company's policy on personal calls during business hours should be a part of the employee handbook. If it isn't, it should be brought to the attention of your employer or supervisor so it can be included when the handbook is updated.

Ideally, the person to speak to your co-worker about this would be your boss. Because these calls are distracting the other employees, your boss should be made aware of it so he or she can deal with it.

TO MY JEWISH READERS: Tonight at sundown, Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, begins. It's a day of fasting, reflection, prayer and repentance. To all of you, may your fast be an easy one.

DEAR ABBY: You missed the chance to communicate a life-or-death message to your readers when you answered a letter from an "Ohio Grandma" (July 14).

Your reply understated the importance of storing medications properly and safely. What if the grandmother had placed a loaded gun on the desk instead of medications? Both can produce just as deadly a result.

And why didn't those meds have safety lids? Putting them in a suitcase is not enough. They should be stored out of reach, preferably secured with a safety lock. Or better yet, the parents should be told you have dangerous substances with you -- and asked where you can store them. -- MOM OF A TODDLER IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR MOM: I was scolded for not placing more emphasis on the safety issue. However, the question I was asked was, "Are we obligated to help with more of the medical expenses (for the ER visit) because we have already helped (contributed several hundred dollars) and I don't think it's our job to teach our grandchild boundaries?" So that was the issue on which I focused. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: You dropped the ball. No 3-year-old will respect a closed door all of the time. Grandma and Grandpa are responsible for the safe-keeping of their meds while in the child's and even the grandparents' home. Bottles that rattle and pretty colors in a bottle that look like candy will attract any little kid. Grandma and Grandpa should be happy they aren't helping to pay for a funeral instead of an ER visit. Here are the "rules":

1. All medications should be in kid-proof containers.

2. All medications and OTC drugs should be kept out of a curious child's climbing area.

3. Poison Control numbers should be posted on the fridge.

4. Use the original container (not one of those daily dosage containers) and know how many pills are in it. Be sure you know the name, strength and dosage for each medication. Just telling the hospital that it's for "blood pressure" doesn't tell them what it is or how to treat an overdose.

5. Never tell the kids that medication is candy!

6. You are the adult. Don't expect any child -- or teen -- to respect your private property when it comes to medication. -- MESQUITE, TEXAS, GRANDMA

DEAR ABBY: "Ohio Grandma's" story of an emergency room visit for suspected medication poisoning is all too common. In 2011, 67,700 toddlers were seen for accidental medication exposure. Of these, 12,390 required hospitalization. Children 13 to 24 months of age accounted for 68 percent of these visits. In ER visits where information was obtained, 38 percent involved grandparents' medications, 31 percent the mother's medications, 12 percent a sibling's, 8 percent the father's and 5 percent an aunt's or uncle's medication.

Family members must take precautions to keep their meds out of children's hands. I keep mine under lock and key with the key in my possession whenever I visit my grandchildren.

While I agree with you that children should be taught boundaries and to respect the possessions of others, I believe we have a responsibility to provide a safe environment, especially when we are visiting or when children are visiting us. The consequences of failing to do that can be tragic. -- PEDIATRICIAN AND GRANDMOTHER IN MAINE