KATHY MITCHELL AND MARCY SUGAR \ Annie's Mailbox Their unexpected hurdle has a silver lining

Dear Annie: My 17-year-old son and his girlfriend are going to have a baby. I knew they were having sex, and I kept telling them that she needed to use birth control. I even bought him condoms, but apparently my efforts weren't enough. The girl refuses to get an abortion, and she won't consider adoption.
My husband and I are terribly distraught over this, and we dread breaking the news to our family and friends. The girl's mother said her daughter and the baby can live with her, but I am concerned about my son's legal and financial obligations. Also, should the couple break up, what are my rights as a grandparent? Too Young To Be a Grandma
Dear Too Young: No matter how careful you are, sometimes your children surprise you, not always for the better. Life has handed you an unexpected hurdle, but we hope you will keep your eyes focused on the silver lining -- your grandchild.
Your son is legally obligated to provide financial support until the child is at least 18 years of age. Please take him to see a lawyer so an agreement for support and visitation can be set down on paper. While you have the attorney nearby, ask him about your state's laws regarding grandparents' rights. You might not have any. If you want to keep in touch with this grandchild, we recommend maintaining a cordial relationship with the mother, and seeing to it that your son does the same.
Dear Annie: Do manufacturers think we are clueless? At the market yesterday, I noticed that liquid detergent is now sold in 45-ounce containers, instead of the previous 50-ounce ones. The price, however, is the same. Also, the ice cream I bought was in a smaller package, but the price was no different.
We should bombard manufacturers with complaints or just not buy their products. Consumers need to be more vigilant. Label Reader in Massachusetts
Dear Label Reader: Manufacturers are entitled to raise their prices, and this is what they are doing (although we have to admit, it does seem a bit sneaky).
Dear Annie: Not long ago, you received an inquiry from the mother of a high-school freshman who had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
More than one million Americans suffer from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The Crohn's & amp; Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) provides information and education through our Web site at www.ccfa.org. We have local chapters across the country that offer personal support services, and many have special programs for children and teens. We also can provide high schools with educational materials to increase staff awareness of the problems and concerns of Crohn's disease patients.
Please let this mother know that she and her son are not alone. They can contact CCFA at 386 Park Ave. South, 17th Fl., New York, NY 10016 (800-932-2423). Betsy Myatt and Elizabeth Myatt, Crohn's & amp; Colitis Foundation of America
Dear Betsy and Elizabeth Myatt: Thank you for providing a helpful and supportive resource for our readers. We hope they contact you.
Dear Annie: The other day, the young man next to me on the bus played his Walkman at such high volume that I didn't miss a note. Are the headphones of today so much flimsier than their counterparts of the past? Other than changing my seat, is there a proper way to ask a person to lower the volume? I respect his right to tune out the world, but I'd rather not be forced to tune in. Headphone Hell in Boston
Dear Boston: Headphones are actually quite good these days, but when the volume is cranked up to head-banging, it's going to leak out. It's perfectly OK to tap the person on the shoulder and ask politely, "Would you mind turning it down?"
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