DEAR MISS MANNERS: When I take my 6-year-old to the doctor to treat allergies or colds, medical forms ask for my marital status. I’ve been leaving this part of the form blank ever since getting unsolicited advice on single parenting from a nurse a few months ago.
I provide a second emergency contact when the forms ask for one, and I’d be happy to give my marital status if I could see how it was relevant to my child’s treatment.
Today, I was checking in my child for a medical procedure. The nurse asked me for my marital status, and I replied, “Oh, why do you ask?” I hoped she’d either give me a medical reason or move on to the next question, but instead she said, “So I can fill in this form.”
Annoyed, I shortly answered: “Skip.” She moved on to the next question. Could you please suggest a more polite way to handle this conversation the next time it comes up?
GENTLE READER: “I am my child’s primary parent. Neither of us is currently married -- nor are we looking.”