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In regards to last week's column, let me say this: If bringing a dog home over your partner's objections really will lead to a divorce, then don't do it. OBVIOUSLY. Of all the many things I want to do in this life, causing your divorce isn't one of them.

OK. Now that we're all clear on that point, let's move on, shall we?

Dear Ann Cannon • I'm the mother of a 6-year-old kindergartner who is displaying characteristics of the classic "mean girl." You know the type — delights in drama, loves to be the center of attention (and usually is), tends to form alliances with some girls and shut other girls out. I have always found this behavior disgusting and want to put a stop to it before she hits middle school. Give me parenting advice!

— Yikes!

Dear Yikes • In the interest of full disclosure, I'll point out that I don't have daughters and I didn't have sisters. This makes me pretty much a non-expert on the girl front, which is why I asked friends who've raised daughters for their input. A few of their suggestions follow:

• Help your daughter develop empathy. Use TV shows as a launching pad for discussions about how different characters feel and why.

• Reading can help a child develop empathy, too. "The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes explores the subject of bullying from the perspective of a girl who feels pressured by friends to exclude another classmate. Reading the book together can lead to a conversation about the reasons good kids sometimes do things that hurt other people.

• Role-playing (if you can get your child on board) may help her understand the consequences of her actions.

• When it comes to your own friends and associates, model appropriate behavior yourself.

• Don't be afraid to call her out when she's doing the mean girl thing. Sometimes parents will reframe a bad behavior to make it fit a more palatable social construct — "bratty," for instance, becomes "feisty."

Meanwhile, remember that your daughter is still young. Nothing is set in stone. Give yourself points for wanting to help her be her best self.

—

Dear Ann Cannon • We have a 6-year-old grandson who likes to play dolls with his older sisters and their friends. I don't find this alarming, but some members of our family do. They think he should be discouraged from doing so. What do you think?

— Grandmother

Dear Grandmother • I'm assuming that the family members to whom you're referring are worried that your grandson will grow up to be gay, right? Here's the thing: Playing with dolls doesn't mean a boy is gay. Playing with dolls won't "turn him gay," either. That's not how sexual orientation works. I offer as evidence my heterosexual brother who got his very own Betsy McCall doll for Christmas one year. Which I eventually stole. Because Santa didn't bring ME a Betsy McCall doll.

I shared your question with a friend who's gay and this was his response: "Discouraging [the grandson] from playing with dolls will not make him straight if he is gay, but it can make him question himself, cause him to worry about being normal and fitting in, while eroding his self-confidence and self-view."

Meanwhile, does it matter in the end if the grandson IS gay? I know that's super easy for me to say in a column like this. In reality, coming to terms with sexual identity is often a fraught and painful journey for an individual and his or her family.

But still.

The person whom you have always loved is still that same person.

Do you have a question for Ann? Send it to askann@strib.com or visit the Ask Ann Cannon page on Facebook.