DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My wife and I are just over 60 and in overall excellent health. However, that doesn’t stop our grown kids from driving us crazy with warnings and lectures about not going out of the house right now. There have been some coronavirus cases in our county, but so far none in our town that we’ve heard of. We’re following our state’s coronavirus guidelines and been limiting our outings to trips to the food store, and both of us are currently home fulltime. My wife is teleworking and I’m continuing with my woodworking business from my garage workshop.

It’s nice that the kids are worried about us, but I hate how old it’s making us feel. How do we get them to back off? --- 62 AND FEELING FINE

DEAR 62 AND FEELING FINE: Clearly, your kids’ hearts are in the right place, and it’s good you realize that. Sometimes I try to deal with our adult kids treating us like old codgers by thinking back to how mature adults seemed so old to me when I was in my 20s. There were professors, bosses, and coworkers I knew who seemed pretty ancient back then, and I now realize they were in fact younger than I am now. It’s a bit of a shock to the system, but one that helps give perspective to the worries of younger generations.

Enjoy the fact that your kids care about you, and keep on keeping on as best as you can. Think of the countless people who have no one worrying about them and those who are more adversely affected by the pandemic than your family is right now.

Be safe and well!

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: We have a second baby on the way and the townhouse we’ve lived in for the past six years is getting smaller by the day. The real estate market is healthy by us, and because of that, a lot of younger people like us are looking to move up to a larger home, and the competition for selling is rough with so many starter homes on the market.

I want to use some of our savings to redo a few things, not anything big, but that would help sell our place, but my husband wants to keep everything for a down payment. He just doesn’t get that we could be more competitive if we brought at least the kitchen out of the 90s and into the 21st century.

I’m running out of things to say to him, and he just won’t listen. What can I do to persuade him that sometimes you have to spend a little to make a lot? --- MY HUSBAND WON’T LISTEN

DEAR MY HUSBAND WON’T LISTEN: I guess your husband isn’t an HGTV fan, or you’re too much of one.

Before you spend a lot of money on your current home, talk to a qualified realtor familiar with your immediate area. It’s possible that the guidance the realtor offers may surprise both you and your husband. At least you’ll have more information that will hopefully leave you better equipped to decide how best to use your savings.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My boyfriend isn’t exactly a dumpster-diver, but if we’re out and he sees something someone’s put out for trash, he’ll stop, look the thing over, and if he thinks he can do something with it, no matter how messed up some of the stuff is, he’ll take it back to his garage/workshop. He actually does make use of a good portion of the stuff he picks up, but I find it disgusting and ask him not to do it when he’s with me. But he still does, and it bothers me, and honestly, kind of grosses me out. Am I in the wrong here? --- THE MAN LOVES TRASH

DEAR THE MAN LOVES TRASH: As someone who did some curbside salvaging in my younger days, I understand where your boyfriend’s coming from. I also see how his not respecting your wishes can be a problem for you.

Keep making it plain to him that although you don’t love his habit, you don’t mind it so much if he doesn’t make you part of his rescue missions. When he sees something he’s really intrigued by, ask him to go back for it later, when you’re not around to see him in action.