DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My Grandad worked construction for over 40 years. His hearing is for sh#t and he knows it.

My Grandma took him for hearing aids, which aren’t cheap. At first he refused to wear them. Then to shut my grandmother up he started putting them in, but not turning them on. Like we don’t know when he’s playing us!

When he doesn’t use them, especially when he’s around a crowd, you can tell he’s still lost and not able to keep up with what’s being said.

Why doesn’t he get it that they’re for his own good and use them to be more connected to what’s happening around him? --- THEY’RE SWITCHED OFF

DEAR THEY’RE SWITCHED OFF: Your grandfather isn’t the first person to have trouble adjusting to hearing aids. Until the wearer gets used to them, they potentially feel more challenging than the hearing loss they’re meant to correct.

I suggest gently encouraging your grandfather to give his devices a try in less noisy, uncrowded situations such as a park or while watching TV.

Not being bombarded by a lot of sounds would allow him to try out any available adjustments the hearing aids come with. Feeling like he's in control could be key to his being more willing to keep them turned on.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Believe it or not, my son’s girlfriend was raised on an honest to God commune in Virginia. She and my son met in college and she decided to move in with him and start a family less than a year after they graduated.

She doesn’t believe in marriage, so they are not married, but they have a four-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son. My son has never been into appearances, so he sees nothing wrong with his son showing up to school in clothes that don’t fit him, shoes that are obviously on their second or third owner, and a backpack with Bratz dolls on it. His girlfriend will only shop in thrift stores or exchange clothing with those still living in her old commune.

My grandson’s hair has never been cut and he only bathes when he wants to, which isn’t often, I can tell you.

I fear my grandson is going to be picked on at school for being an oddball, which in all honesty, I have to say maybe he is.

Is it worth saying anything to my son about how much embarrassment my grandson is in for? --- LITTLE HIPPY’S GRANDMA

DEAR LITTLE HIPPY’S GRANDMA: While some kids your grandson’s age can and will be cruel, what I’ve observed is that for the most part young children are remarkably accepting of others regardless of how they look. They’ll also tolerate a wide range of behaviors so long as they don’t feel threatened by it.

Additionally, school staff will likely be keeping an eye out for any behavior targeting your grandson or any other child and deal with it directly.

You could have a conversation with your son about your concerns, but ultimately, it’s up to him and his girlfriend to make the day-to-day decisions about your grandchildren’s upbringing.

So long as they are safe, well-cared for, and loved, their parents are doing their job, even if not precisely the same way you’d do it.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: A few years ago a family moved into the house next to mine. They are a nice couple with two kids.

My only complaint is that they start doing holiday decorations the beginning of October, first for Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then onto Christmas. They put up a crazy amount of decorations. The husband said it’s because they lived in an apartment for so long he feels like he is making up for lost time with decorating, especially for the kids.

I wouldn’t have a problem with any of this except that starting last year this family began a block decorating competition that everyone except me bought into. I’ve never felt a need to keep up with the Joneses, but all the other houses on the block already went all out with their Halloween decorations this year and I know what’s coming next.

I did do a little more last year for Christmas, but I’m not willing to go for broke on a bunch of new lights and stuff when I have perfectly good decorations already. Eventually I will invest in LED lights, but I’m not looking to do that at a time when everything is so inflated and with two kids in college and work that needs to be done around the house, especially since I like how our place looks with its old incandescent strings of lights.

My wife told me to stop nickel-and-diming and to get onboard with the spirit of the holidays. She says I’m being cheap, but seriously, Thanksgiving decorations? Doesn’t it make more sense to put the money into what we need rather than to compete for a yard sign saying we are the best decorated house on the block? --- WANT TO SPEND WISELY

DEAR WANT TO SPEND WISELY: There’s certainly a trend to put up outdoor displays for even the minor holidays. Some of the ones I’ve seen have been surprisingly elaborate.

Personally, I think your goal of gradually replacing your older incandescent lights with newer more efficient LED options makes sense.

As far as feeling pressured to start decorating for holidays you haven’t put up displays for in the past, I say let your neighbors do what makes them happy and you do what works for you, especially if you’re the one in the family in charge of the outdoor holiday décor.