Dear Readers, When CHILD BRIDE, 19, asked me how to tell her family that she and her 38-year-old fiance were getting married, I told her "By long distance. If you're in the same room, there may be blood."

I told her The Rules According to Lavin clearly state that "no woman is allowed to marry before she's finished her education, embarked on a career, paid her own bills, established a retirement account, and has lived on her own. And is a happy, well-adjusted, self-sufficient person."

I was pretty hard on her fiance, too. "What kind of a man wants to marry a child?"

I told her to "ditch the loser" and "enjoy your youth, don't waste it on some pathetic guy who can't handle a woman his own age so he takes advantage of a kid. This is the time to go to school, meet people, travel and grow up. Don't short-change yourself. You'll always regret it."

As usual, some of you disagree with me ...

CALLEY: I absolutely hate the fact that you said that CHILD BRIDE was too young to get married. My husband purposed to me when I was 19, and we got married six months later. He's still in school, and I'm working full time until he's finished. I think that it was too critical of you and too easy to go the "you're too young to get married path." It's much easier to find an excuse than actually hit the root issue.

I'm very tired of hearing that pathetic line. Or even better, when, after they find out that I'm married ask me how many children I have. I have no children. My husband and I waited to our wedding day. Maybe that is a bigger issue than age.

LUCY: I'm appalled with your response to the letter from CHILD BRIDE. First of all, what right have you to impose judgment on who someone should marry without meeting them? CHILD BRIDE didn't ask you what you think about her marriage. She asked you how she should tell her parents. I hope that this poor girl ignored your advice and trusted her own heart.

Oh, yeah, and about this question: "What kind of man wants to marry a child?" That would be my dad, thank you, and he's not a loser. He married my mom when she was 21 and he was 40, and they're still perfectly happy and well-adjusted after 20 years.

In short? Age difference between a husband and a wife is absolutely none of your business, and as an advice columnist, you should have the decency to respect that.

Got a problem? Send it, along with your questions and rants to cheryllavinrapp@gmail.com. And check out my new ebook, "Dear Cheryl: Advice from Tales from the Front."