DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and my son is about to leave for his mission to Argentina for the next two years. While I am proud of him and his decision to serve, the thought of him being so far away for so long is really hard for me. We’ve always been close, and I’ve watched him grow into such a compassionate, thoughtful young man. The idea of not having him around and having minimal contact with him, especially knowing he’ll be facing new challenges in a foreign country, fills me with a mixture of pride, worry and sadness.

I want to be supportive and show him how much I believe in him, but I can’t shake this overwhelming sense of loss. I know this is a big part of our faith and many families go through this, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m worried about how I’ll cope with his absence and how to fill the void that he’ll be leaving. How can I find peace with him leaving and stay strong for both of us? -- On Mission

DEAR ON MISSION: Surround yourself with other parents whose children are on mission. Find solace in talking to them about your hopes, dreams and worries. It is natural for you to feel some anxiety about your child going so far away for so long, especially since you two are so close. The good news is that you know he is in good hands. He will not be alone. He will receive guidance from the leadership there.

You can stay in touch, albeit not the ways in which we have grown comfortable in this cellphone age. Figure out the frequency with which you two can communicate. Are you allowed to speak by phone or text? Can you begin a letter-writing relationship? That could be beautiful for now and as memories in the future.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I once dreamed of having a baby together someday. When I found out I was pregnant, we immediately went to the hospital to confirm it. My boyfriend and I were so happy with the news that I thought this would make our relationship grow stronger, but the exact opposite happened.

He became distant and irritable, arguing with me constantly and stressing me out, unable or unwilling to understand the changes I was going through because of my pregnancy. Then something terrible happened: I had a miscarriage. He blamed me for the loss, and without any compassion, he left me completely alone in my grief. What should I do? Should I find him, or should I stay away because it’s already a toxic relationship? -- Broken Bonds

DEAR BROKEN BONDS: It seems that both of you struggled through the pregnancy and the aftermath of the miscarriage for different reasons. Your boyfriend clearly does not know how to process his feelings, including the grief of losing a child. While you may not want to reunite with him, it could be valuable to have a conversation where each of you shares what you have been experiencing.

Reach out to him directly or through his friends to say you would like to talk without the expectation of reuniting. If he responds, make the effort to work through what happened and how you are dealing with it. If he does not respond, it is time for you to pivot. You cannot force anyone to deal with their life’s circumstances. Recovering from a miscarriage can be difficult. Tend to yourself and move on.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend keeps telling others about my private business, and it’s starting to feel like a real betrayal. I recently started seeing someone new, and because my friend and I are very close, I shared the news with her. I was excited to tell her, and I trusted her to keep it between us. But almost immediately, I started hearing from other friends and even some casual acquaintances asking me about the new guy I’m seeing! It’s frustrating because I’m still getting to know him, and I wanted to keep things quiet until I felt more comfortable and surer about the relationship.

I feel like my privacy has been invaded, and I’m beginning to question whether I can trust her with other personal things. I know she probably didn’t mean any harm and was just excited for me, but this has really bothered me, especially because it’s not the first time she’s done something like this. How should I confront her about this? I value our friendship, but I also need her to respect my boundaries and understand how important privacy is to me. -- Violated

DEAR VIOLATED: Your friend has previously proven to you that she cannot keep confidence. Since you know that, you cannot be mad at her now for acting in a way she has already demonstrated that she acts. Is this sad? Yes, since you want to have someone to tell your secrets. But she has shown you that she cannot be trusted to do that. If you want to have a close friend with whom you can tell such intimacies, you have to seek out someone else.

Sure, you can reprimand your friend and tell her how disappointed you are that she violated your confidence. She will apologize and promise not to do it again, but the chances are great that she will, because this is what she does. Instead, enjoy your guy, and enjoy your friend for who she is, but keep your eyes open for a new friend who may be better at keeping secrets.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter is 17 years old and an incredibly talented ballerina. She has dedicated countless hours to her training, and it’s clear she has the potential to pursue dance as a career if she chooses. She absolutely loves dancing; it’s her passion and something that lights her up. Still, as her mother, I’m increasingly worried about the toxic aspects of the dance world. Recently, her coach began making comments about her needing to be thinner if she ever wants to go professional, and I can see how these remarks are affecting her. She’s already so disciplined with her diet and exercise, and I fear that focusing on her weight could lead to harmful habits or damage her self-esteem. I don’t want her to compromise her health or sense of self-worth for the sake of meeting someone else’s unrealistic standards. At the same time, I know that dance is competitive, and that certain pressures come with the industry.

I want to support her dreams, but I’m torn between encouraging her and protecting her from a potentially harmful environment. How can I help her through these pressures without ruining her love for ballet? -- Ballet Worries

DEAR BALLET WORRIES: Encourage your daughter to eat in a healthy manner and tend to her body. Do not discourage her from her passion -- it wouldn’t work, anyway. Pay attention, and if you notice unhealthy behaviors, gently talk to her about her choices. Her field is a tough one for body image. With your support, hopefully she will make smart choices along the way. As her interest in this career develops, it might be worth asking her doctor about healthy eating choices for ballerinas.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR READERS: I got resounding comments from many of you calling me out for my response to the woman whose husband was pushing her to try to have a son after she had already given birth to five daughters. I accept your input and want to share some of it now.

DEAR HARRIETTE: The surest way to add a boy to your family is to adopt a boy! There are lots of boys who are looking for their forever family. Ask your god to guide you toward them in order to make everyone a happy, loving family. -- Loving Spirit

DEAR HARRIETTE: I couldn't disagree more with the advice you gave "A Boy," the wife who'd had five daughters with her husband, who still wanted to try for a sixth child because he wants a son. You told her to ask her OB-GYN for advice, and if he agrees that it would not be in her best interest to get pregnant again, this should be enough for the husband to accept.

Harriette, the poor woman stated that she's emotionally and physically exhausted! Why in the world should she have to get the support of her doctor to tell her husband she's done having children? This man needs to accept that he's been blessed with five beautiful and healthy children, thank his lucky stars and stop being selfish. -- Enough

DEAR HARRIETTE: I felt compelled to share my feelings on your reply to the lady with five daughters whose husband wanted to try again for a son. Sorry, but you were off base. Another pregnancy is something she explicitly does NOT want. Regardless of what the doctor says, there's still a chance they will not have a boy. What then? More disappointment from the husband and a demand for child No. 7? If having a son is so important, they should adopt, but I bet he has a fixation on passing his lovely genes down. She needs to put her foot down. -- Don't Do It, Girl

DEAR ALL: I get your messages loud and clear. My reason for recommending talking to the OB-GYN (which I clearly did not state well) is that it seemed this woman needed some backup. I assumed (which I shouldn’t have) that the OB-GYN would give a resounding NO to the idea of another child. By adding that voice, she wouldn’t be alone. Yes, she is exhausted in all ways, but I also got the impression that she was not fully prepared to stand up to her husband. Whoever she can get to help her would be great. Thank you all for chiming in to support her!

The adoption idea could work if this woman thinks she can manage rearing another child at all. A sixth being to nurture for the next 18 years or so is still a lot.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions toaskharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)