DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My roommate is one of those people who loves animals more than people. She’s also very kind and feeds stray cats in the neighborhood, which I think is fine.

What I’m not so good with is that she brings them into our house sometimes when the weather is bad. I’ve done some research on what problems can come along with strays, and I am worried the street cats will expose our own house cats to some dangerous diseases. I’ve brought this up with my roommate every time she brings a stray in, even for the night, but she doesn’t believe she’s doing any harm.

What can I do to convince her to keep her stray cat- caregiving outdoors? --- WANT TO KEEP MY CATS SAFE

DEAR WANT TO KEEP MY CATS SAFE: For starters, you should share the specific information you’ve found about communicable feline diseases with your roommate, if you haven’t already. Generalities may not be enough to convince her.

If that doesn’t make any difference, I strongly recommend having a conversation with your veterinarian to get some guidance and their take on introducing strays to house pets. Having your roommate in on the discussion would be a good idea, so that you both have the same information to work with moving forward.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Even before the pandemic, my husband wasn’t thrilled with the thought of my getting a job, even a part-time one. We have a one-year-old son, and right now no plans for another baby anytime soon.

For the first few months, I was totally happy being home with our baby full-time, but now I feel like I need to both get out of the house at least a few hours a week, and also have some money that I can contribute to our expenses.

My mom lives ten minutes away and said she would be happy to help with babysitting, and my mother-in-law said she would volunteer for back-up if there are days my mom can’t do it. I honestly don’t see any issues, but my husband keeps discouraging me. I know I have to wait a little bit longer for the world to be more normal, but do you think I am wrong to want to get out and be more help to our finances? --- NEED JUST A LITTLE JOB

DEAR NEED JUST A LITTLE JOB: Except for the current state of things, especially the job market, I don’t see anything wrong with what you’re hoping to do. However, you didn’t share why your husband doesn’t want you working, and his concerns need to be taken into account.

It might be he’s worried about a disruption of your home life, or that the childcare will fall on him. Whatever his concerns, you need to address them with solid, well-thought out responses.

Also, never discount the importance of holding down a home and anchoring a family. Either one can be a full-time job in itself. It may not seem like it, but providing your own childcare alone is a huge savings over the course of a year.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Having grown up in the 60s and 70s, I hardly consider myself old-fashioned, but when my daughter announced a “buddy” of hers from work was moving into her apartment, I began thinking maybe I’m more like my father than I want to admit.

She has only known her coworker less than a year. She tells me he has a girlfriend, and my daughter has been seeing someone for a few months now. I thought she and her boyfriend were doing really well, but I am having trouble seeing how this new living arrangement bodes well for their continuing as a couple.

Here’s where I sound like my dad when I say I have serious doubts about men and women living together as “just roommates”. Have I crossed the dateline into old fogeyism? --- A MAYBE NOT SO COOL DAD

DEAR A MAYBE NOT SO COOL DAD: You may not be an old fogey, at least not yet, but you do need to give your daughter credit for having good reasons to accept her male coworker as her new roommate. It isn’t all that unusual of an arrangement. For decades now I’ve heard of men and women living successfully together simply as roommates.

Any objections or concerns your daughter’s boyfriend and her roommate’s girlfriend have are between the couples and up to them to resolve.

Bottom-line, Dad, this is not your rodeo.