DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a father of three beautiful girls. My wife wants to have another child. As much as I love the idea of making our family bigger and having another baby, I am apprehensive about the idea of having another daughter. Don’t get me wrong -- I love my girls more than anything in the world, but the thought of having four daughters is intimidating.
I have always wanted a son and would be ecstatic if my wife and I had a boy, but there is no way of guaranteeing that. I know that may sound selfish, but is it? Should I discuss with my wife that I want another baby only if it’s a boy? -- Yearning for a Son, Denver
DEAR YEARNING FOR A SON: You need to get realistic. There is no way that you can ensure that your wife will give birth to a son, at least not to my knowledge. If you want a son that badly, you may want to talk to your wife about adopting a boy. You can express your concerns to your wife, but be clear that neither you nor she can control the sex of the child that you bring into the world.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)