Your parents' views are, by current standards, out there. Getting in their faces about it would be needlessly disrespectful, but there's no reason for you to tiptoe through their delusional little terrarium as if you can't bend even one blade of grass.

You can't make someone agree with you, not even when you're 100 percent sure you're right.

Make sure you have legal cover for what you're doing.

If you take the time to listen to an upset child's story with empathy, and guide the child toward figuring out the root of the problem, then the result is often that the child not only calms down, but also in the future is less likely to get so upset.

Unfortunately, I think the expectation is that birthday girls don't pay.

I have no quarrel with people who lack the skill or temperament to care for small children.

You don't want to be with someone who is already not getting from you what he needs emotionally.