ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister has been kind of depressed and unmotivated since becoming unemployed. She lost her job at the beginning of the pandemic and has been living off of unemployment checks ever since. This is more than a year and a half of being at home, mainly in her room watching TV and sleeping. I'm younger than she is, so she doesn't ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm headed home for Christmas, and I feel nervous about it. I gained a ton of weight during quarantine. As I have been trying on clothes to figure out how to dress during my visit, I realize that most of my clothes are too small. I am feeling extremely self-conscious about seeing my family and friends in my hometown. I haven't ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm in my senior year of high school, and the pressure is intense. It seems like my friends and I are constantly mad at somebody. There's just so much tension between friend groups and people who are dating or not and trying to figure out relationships. Plus, we are applying to college and worried about whether or not we will get...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently got my license, and now that my sister is home from college, we have to share one car. We live in the suburbs of New York City, so we can really only do fun things if we have a way to get there and back. Lately, my sister has been using the car much more frequently than me, which isn't fair. I suggested creating a ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My teenage daughter absolutely refuses to wear a coat. It is getting cold outside where we live in the Northeast. I bought her several coats that are popular for her age group, but she will not put on any of them. I noticed that she might wear it out the door, but literally the minute she goes outside she puts it in her bag. How ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I started my event planning business from the ground up. I never discriminate against clients, employees or anyone who shows interest in working with me. The other day I received an online complaint from a client about the hairstyle of one of my employees. She wanted to be sure that my employee would hide her brightly colored ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been sorting through some emotional issues for some time now. I have come to a decision that I am frightened to make: I want to ask my dad and stepmother to join an upcoming group therapy session with me. My therapist recommended that we sit down together, as a lot of my issues stem from the way they treated me when I was ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm worried about my friend's mother. My friend is turning a blind eye as her mother completely neglects her own health. She's diabetic, yet I watch her continually make poor food decisions. I don't understand why my friend lets it happen. My friend will even bring the unhealthy food into the house. Is there anything I can do? ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: During and because of the pandemic, I adopted a large service dog for emotional support. I was told that I will not be able to bring my dog into the office because it is against company policy. I feel discriminated against because I have papers to ensure that my dog should be allowed with me in all spaces. Should I quit my job? I...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I met a man on a dating app, and we've gone on about four dates. We talk often, and I thought we were starting to get somewhere. I deleted the app after our second date. I downloaded the dating app again just out of curiosity and noticed that the man I've been seeing has been updating his pictures, status and bio -- meaning he is...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My father had another child many years after I was born. I overheard him telling my aunt that my younger sibling is so much easier. I don't know if this means that he found me hard to raise, or if it's just easier this time because he has already learned the ropes. Should I take offense to this? I don't really want to confront ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My girlfriend's family randomly stopped speaking to me, and I have no idea why. She and I have been on great terms, and I've never done anything foul to her. Up until recently, every time I would visit my girlfriend's house, I'd get a warm greeting from her mom and younger siblings. Lately when I visit, I'm lucky if they don't ...Read more

DEAR READERS: Happy Thanksgiving! I wish each and every one of you a blessed time with your family and friends at this special time of year. For many, it may be the first time that people have gathered from far and wide for nearly two years, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, there is still a divide because, for whatever ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a college student and cannot afford to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I didn't really think about it that much when school started because I was so happy to be going to campus. But now I'm pretty much alone. There's going to be a small gathering at school for Thanksgiving for the students who are stranded, so I'm ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Should I reach out to a former friend of mine who is grieving the loss of a parent? I'm not sure if she ever wants to hear from me again because of the way we left off. I don't want to offend her. What would be the best way to send my condolences to someone who might not want to hear from me? -- No Longer Friends

DEAR NO LONGER ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am originally from Jamaica, and my husband is American. Because of my upbringing, I only really know how to make Jamaican cuisine; I'm not good at cooking anything else. My husband doesn't like the food that I make. I would describe him as having a limited palate. He only likes traditional American food and fast food. I think ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend told his mother one of my biggest secrets. The two of them are very close, but I'm deeply upset with him for repeating something I asked him to never share. I feel deeply betrayed and embarrassed. At first I felt angry enough to consider a breakup, but I've since calmed down. Would I be overreacting if I never told ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom owes me a lot of money, but she keeps trying to guilt me every time I ask for it back. I've been helping my mom pay rent since I was 18 years old; now I'm almost 24. I can't afford my own place, but I can afford to help out. She asks for help with a lot of things -- aside from rent -- and I always feel obligated to say yes...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband gets obsessed with different ideas and then goes down the rabbit hole with them, often spending exorbitant amounts of money to learn more about whatever they are. Plus, he traps me into extended moments when I have to listen to him drone on and on about something that does not interest me. When he drinks while on one ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I was hired to work on a short-term project for a company that had hired me previously. It seemed like everything turned out pretty well. I was asked for honest feedback about the project, and I gave it. That included pointing out things that I thought the company could do better to ensure positive results for the particular ...Read more