Dear Harriette
Dear Harriette by Harriette Cole
Boyfriend’s proposal steals graduation spotlight DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend of three years proposed to me at my graduation party. It was a complete surprise. While I’m thrilled that we’re now engaged, I’m a little upset that he proposed during a day that was special to me for my own reasons. I wish he had planned something completely…
Read MoreParents arguments demoralize recent college grad
DEAR HARRIETTE: My parents are feuding and have been for quite some time. I usually duck out of the room when they start in on each other, but things have escalated of late. I am living at home this year because I haven’t found a job yet after graduating from college during the pandemic. I…
Read MoreCollege-age son needs lesson in fiscal responsibility
DEAR HARRIETTE: I never taught my son how to manage money. Now he is away at college, and it seems like he is always asking me to add money into his bank account. I see that he is not buying anything extravagant — mainly he buys snacks and things for school — but I cannot…
Read MoreWoman’s Family blames friend for accident
DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend “Molly” and I were both injured in an accident, and her family is blaming me. Molly and I are both college seniors. A little while back, we were driving to school in the middle of the day when we were rear-ended by a drunk driver. It was a scary accident, to…
Read MoreBoyfriend won’t condem violent behavior
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been keeping up with a high-profile celebrity trial that deals with domestic violence between a man and a woman. My boyfriend and I were discussing the trial the other day over the phone. He was adamant about defending the male celebrity, even though he had been physically violent toward the female celebrity.…
Read MoreHappier reader still suffering from FOMO
DEAR HARRIETTE: For several years — beginning around the same time that the pandemic started — I was deeply depressed. I was unhappy with the way that I looked, my job, my finances and my relationship. For all of those reasons, I was very low-functioning. I did not go out with friends, I did not…
Read MoreBeachgoer wants to extend summer friendships
DEAR HARRIETTE: I made friends with a group of women this summer who were so kind. We have known each other for a while, but we bonded in a different way recently. Normally we only see one another during the summer in our beach community. I feel like I would like to stay in touch…
Read MoreDo-nothing siblings take credit for dad’s care
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have two siblings who live far away from the town we grew up in. I am the main caregiver for my ailing father. I live nearby, and naturally I assume the primary leadership role in making sure he’s cared for and goes to his doctors’ visits, sees me and my kids regularly,…
Read MoreDear Harriette by Harriette Cole
Parents won’t allow teen to access social media DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m going into high school now, and my parents still won’t let me have my own social media account: no TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or In- stagram. They think it’s bad for me and unsafe. Although I agree in some respects, I feel like I’m…
Read MoreCo-workers ignore employee’s graduation party
DEAR HARRIETTE: I invited my co-workers to my graduation party, and none of them showed up. Now I want to resign. My co-workers have never made me feel welcome in the 10 months that I’ve been with our company. When I first started, I admired how close all of my co-workers were with one another.…
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