ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have two young daughters. One is 3 years old, and the other is just 8 months old. I invited my sister to stay with us during the holiday season because she lives far away and the rest of our family is in Delaware. However, my sister failed to tell me before she arrived that she was battling a nasty cold. She came to stay with ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been feeling overwhelmed at work. I was hired as support for one team but have now been expected to regularly cover two large teams. I sometimes find myself struggling to efficiently and seamlessly complete tasks for my main team while juggling tasks on both ends. Per my year-end review, I think my manager noticed a shift in...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a sister who is 20 years younger than I am. I'm 30, and she's only 10 years old. Because of this huge age gap, we've never really had a chance to bond or develop a close relationship. While I love her dearly, every time it's just the two of us, the conversation feels forced and awkward. I don't think either of us is ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm in a difficult situation with one of my friends, and I don't know how to handle it. Recently, they cheated on a school exam and got caught. To my surprise, my friend is now accusing me of being involved even though I worked hard and studied diligently for the test. I've always prided myself on putting in the effort, staying ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I have been together for about five months now. When he first asked me to be his girlfriend, he said he was ready for a serious relationship. I'm starting to feel like he doesn't have any time for me, and I'm questioning whether he's as committed as he claimed to be. He's always either working or traveling, and ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My best friend and I have been close since high school; however, recently it feels like she's started to ghost me. She doesn't answer my calls anymore, and when she does respond to my texts, her replies are short and vague, as if she doesn't really want to talk to me. We live in different states now, which makes it harder to stay...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am one of those people who tries to make a New Year's resolution just about every year. As you might imagine, it doesn't usually work. I stay focused for a week or so, but something always distracts me. This year I want to be better.

I really need to lose weight. It's serious -- for my health. My doctor told me I had to do it,...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My adult siblings and I went on a trip to Italy last month. It was our first time ever traveling outside the United States, so naturally, I was excited about the experience. I thought it was going to be a fun and memorable trip, especially since we all usually get along pretty well. However, I quickly realized that things weren't...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm having an issue with my neighbors and their new puppy. They recently got a dog, and while she's adorable, they don't seem to be doing a great job training her. The puppy keeps using my yard as her personal bathroom, and my neighbors never bother to pick up after her. At first, I tried to ignore it because I figured they were ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter dropped out during her freshman year of college. She struggled academically her first semester, and she has decided not to go back. I'm terrified for her future because I've always believed that in order to have a stable and successful career, a college degree is essential. I know that not everyone takes a traditional...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Ever since I was a child, my mom never liked to throw anything away, whether it was old clothes, expired food, broken appliances or even random junk mail. At the time, I thought it was just her being quirky or frugal, but as I've gotten older, I've realized it's much more than that. Now, at 28 years old, I'm starting to see how ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend broke up with me two weeks ago, and it left me feeling heartbroken and confused. He said he wasn't sure about our relationship anymore, and while he didn't give a lot of specifics, it was clear he had doubts. I've spent the past few weeks trying to process everything, feeling sad and wondering what went wrong. Then, ...Read more

DEAR READERS: Happy New Year! We are here at the beginning of a new page in the history of our lives. This can be an exciting time -- especially if you embrace it as a moment when possibilities stand before your eyes. Look through the lens of potential this year. What do you want for yourself and for your loved ones? Pause to reflect on all of ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: After passing the job final interview at one of the biggest companies in the United States, I've been struggling with imposter syndrome. Although I was chosen for this role because of my experience and skills, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not good enough. I worry about making mistakes or being "found out." To address this, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I had a hot-and-heavy romance with a man earlier this year, and then it just went cold. We were totally into each other until he stopped being kind. At first, this strong man actually seemed sweet, or at least sweet on me, but then something changed. I'm not sure what happened, but I haven't been able to get him to talk to me ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Returning to New York City after five years abroad is both exciting and overwhelming. The thought of the logistics -- flights, packing and navigating the city -- makes me anxious, and it's taking away from the joy of planning my trip. I want to enjoy the experience, but I feel like there's so much to consider. To ease my anxiety,...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My younger sister is getting married to a man with a significant number of financial issues, and I'm really worried about her future. He has $300,000 in combined credit card debt and student loans, and to make matters worse, he's earning only $40,000 a year. Meanwhile, my sister is much more successful; she has no debt and a ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: When I was single, I never learned how to cook; my mom always took care of that for us. However, after getting married, I've been wanting to learn how to cook more than just fried foods and to try more varied meals. The problem is that I always feel intimidated by complicated recipes. I end up sticking to the same meals every ...Read more

DEAR READERS: Merry Christmas! It's amazing that we are already at this time of year. For those who observe Christmas as a religious holiday, I wish you the peace and hopefulness that this day stands for. For the many who have claimed Christmas as their time to embrace family just a little tighter regardless of their religion, blessings to you, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently developed a love for having plants around my home because they add such a refreshing vibe, but I struggle to keep them alive. People remark that I don't have a green thumb and that I should give up on this hobby, but I'm determined to prove them wrong. I've done a lot of research on how to care for plants, yet they ...Read more