Q: I’ve always had an amazingly open relationship with my kids, but my 14-year-old daughter recently asked how old I was when I first had sex. I was very young when I became sexually active, and I’m afraid that telling her that will either give her permission to become sexually active or cause her to think badly of me. I avoided her question initially, but I know I’ll get it again.

A: You are entitled to your privacy. A question asked does not have to be a question answered. Simply tell your daughter that you understand her natural curiosity, but that you would prefer to keep your sexual behavior private. I’m sure that you respect her right to keep some issues confidential.

Q: How can I make my 14-year-old clean his room? He is an honor student, great with his younger brothers and sister, active in our church, and is well-liked by teachers and other students at school. However, his room is a disaster. He washes his own clothes and is always neat and clean in his appearance.

A: I suspect that more than 99 percent of the readers of this column are ready to trade their kids for your son! Take pride in raising such an amazing young man, and ignore such a minor issue as a messy room.