DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Our grandson did an excellent job learning to drive. He accumulated all his permit-required hours within four months and did well with his driving course.

All was going along well until he had a hydroplane incident in September. Fortunately the only thing that happened in the accident is he scraped the fender on a roadside fence, which is hardly the first ding and dent on our 2012 Audi, which was built to last. That is why we “sold” it to him for all of $500, which we then banked for him for college unbeknownst to him.

The day after the accident, his father went ballistic on the poor kid and he took the keys away from him, which we think is the absolutely wrong way to go. Now the kid is back to relying on his parents for rides, and the old Audi is just sitting in the driveway.

We promised to never interfere with how our kids raise their kids, but since we sold our grandson the car he is now forbidden to drive, do you think we have a say in this one issue? --- SOLD HIM THE CAR

DEAR SOLD HIM THE CAR: Having sold him his car doesn’t entitle you to a say in how it’s used.

While I’m of the opinion that in situations like this, it’s generally better to get the driver driving again sooner rather than later, the decision to withhold the keys is within your grandson’s parents’ domain if he’s a minor. If he’s not, that’s another matter, but still one between him and his folks.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I’m not making excuses for him, but my husband grew up in a home where he didn’t have to do anything around the house. Either his mother or his grandmother did all the cooking, cleaning, and even minor repairs. He was never asked or expected to do anything, not even take out the trash.

Since before we started living together, I have done almost ALL the housework, from making the bed every morning to taking out the trash and paying the bills.

He tells me he wants to pitch in more, but whenever I suggest he do a certain chore, he tells me he’s on it and then never gets to it and I end up doing it, which I don’t think is very fair, do you?

My husband is not a lazy person outside the home, just in it. How do I undo what his mother and grandmother did to him? --- COULD USE SOME HELP

DEAR COULD USE SOME HELP: You’re letting your husband off the hook whenever you pick up his slack.

I understand how frustrating it can be to have to repeatedly ask someone to do something, but it’s time for you to stop buckling and leave what you’ve asked him to do undone until he does it. Obviously I’m not talking about missing bill payments, but the domestic chores you’ve asked him to do become his sole responsibility the moment he agrees to do them.

What could help a bit is if you make a list of all the jobs that need to get done and then specifically divvy them up between the two of you.

If he himself picks the ones he’s expected to do, he might just have less wiggle room for weaseling out on getting his tasks done.

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.