Archives

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a high-maintenance person to buy gifts for. I am incredibly picky. Because of this, every year I ask for no presents for Christmas because I know I probably won't like them. Inste... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I love to plan my birthday celebrations. I feel like it is the one day a year I can completely make about me. This year, my girlfriend of almost a year was shocked to learn that I have... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am obsessed with writing and performing slam poetry. Every time I have a performance coming up, I excitedly blast it all over social media. I write to group messages, email chains an... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am trying to kick my casual smoking habit. I never thought I would become a smoker -- I know how horrendous it is for the body. However, when I am outside the bar getting some fresh ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I love utilizing social media to document my weight loss. I have been posting progress photos to a few of my social media pages, but I have been getting unsupportive comments. Normally... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a single 28-year-old woman. Aging terrifies me, and I started preventative Botox recently. I got called out at the Thanksgiving table by my aunt, who asked if I had work done. I s... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I called off my wedding with my fiance. I didn't tell anyone that he cheated on me for years because I want my family to still respect the father of my child. What I didn't expect was ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have fairly unruly hair, and I don't like to style it. I like how it looks when it's left natural. I have gotten comments about how it's not "professional," or I've been asked why I ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am the head of a school organization that is fairly successful. We put on many events and almost always have 200 people in attendance. I hate getting cold emails from restaurants, ap... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in a restaurant to pay the bills. I have been promoted to manager and was happy about the paycheck, but I now have to be on the frontline of a waitress who fights with the chef ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have discovered that my 10-year-old son has been stealing money from my husband's wallet. I found this out when I saw a pair of expensive headphones in his room and asked how he mana... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend owns a knickknack shop on our town's Main Street. Business has been getting slower and slower for her, and she told me she is shocked she is going under right before the holi... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My teenage daughter came to me and told me that she wants an intrauterine device before President-elect Trump is sworn in. She told me this has been a popular movement and wants a form... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a graduating from college in May. I love school and am grateful that I have had summer internships that landed me a job post-graduation. However, I do not have a job now and funds... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just moved to a new neighborhood. I had very close ties with my neighbors before moving, so I am a little surprised that my new neighbors are not as friendly. In this new neighborhoo... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My teenage daughter has started keeping her door closed when her friends are over. They have just started high school. They used to include me in their gossip, but now it appears that ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am taking part in my work's secret Santa gift exchange. I thought the drawings would be slightly rigged so I would at least know who I was buying a gift for, but I have never spoken ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend called me a bad mother because I don't constantly supervise my children. As they get older (they're 8 and 11), I like to give them small freedoms, like walking down the block... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 14-year-old daughter is overweight. We try to have her diet, but I constantly find candy wrappers under her bed anyway. "Casey" tries to wear the same clothes as her friends (belly ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my friends is extremely interested in photography. She is taking a class and wants to do a photo shoot with me. I am in the middle of moving, and she told me that she doesn't mi... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a midwife who is frequently on call. Just this Thanksgiving, I could be only 20 minutes away from my client. I know this comes with the territory, so I went to my neighbor's house... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: What is the typical rotation of hosting holidays? I have been trying to get the weight of hosting off my shoulders, but I can't seem to find a child, sibling or grandparent to take the... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I live with my mother and stepfather. They are both extremely religious and abstain from alcohol. When I went away for a weekend, my mom went into my room and found empty wine bottles ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently learned a friend's mom passed away. I realized my friend and I met up the day after she got the news (this information is coming late from someone who knew the whole time). ... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have celiac disease, and being invited to someone's home always brings me a plethora of dilemmas. I am invited to a Thanksgiving dinner for 25 people, yet I can't eat most of the foo... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend opened a spa business in our town. I was one of her first customers. I had an excellent massage and pedicure; however, my triple-digit bill was not what I expected. I haven't... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am 23 years old and learning how to "adult." Recently, my friend's father passed away. The death wasn't unexpected, but it is still tragic. Knowing this information, my friends and I... more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I hate my birthday. I try to make it a fun event every year, but it ends in either tears or injury for me. This year, I've decided to not celebrate my birthday and spend it alone. I wa... more