DEAR HARRIETTE: I have worked at a prestigious law firm in midtown Manhattan for four years. I am one of the senior paralegals, and I work specifically for one of the partners of the firm. However, every graduation season (May-June), another part of my job is to introduce the new associates to firm and help them adjust and lend any helping hand I can. Every year, I get that one graduate who thinks he is a complete hotshot and who swears he will become the "best closer the firm has ever seen." This usually leads to him hitting on me in the first 10 minutes. I guess it is flattering, but I really can't take it anymore. My boss thinks it is funny, and we usually joke about the horrific pickup lines, but now I am just annoyed with it. What should I do? -- Dissed, New York City

DEAR DISSED: A mistake you and your boss made was to make light of the inappropriate comments when they first started. It is not acceptable for co-workers to try to make a pass at other co-workers, especially when there has been no overture to suggest that this is OK.

You need to learn how to put these young hopefuls in their place. The next time you hear one of the pickup lines, you can quip, "Bandying about that kind of talk instead of paying attention to the job at hand can get you ousted before you know it." You could say, "Want to try that line out on Human Resources? How far do you think you would get?" Or even, "I hope you are better at your job than you are at pickup lines."

I know this may seem hard to do, but using biting humor to put them in their place is a way of throwing cold water in their face. They likely do not know that they are being inappropriate. They probably think they are cocky and cute and even sexy. You can hold your own by standing up for yourself. Ask your boss to give them an introductory chat on how to speak to other staffers respectfully.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend, who I have been dating for three years, lied to me about what he does for a living. He told me that he worked at a brokerage firm similar to Charles Schwab, but I found out this is not the case. He works instead at three different jobs just to make what he said he did from the brokerage firm. While I wouldn't have felt differently about him if he had just told me, I feel lied to and I haven't spoken to him in a week. -- Duped, Chicago

DEAR DUPED: Your boyfriend clearly wanted to impress you. Rather than never talk to him, tell him that you would have been impressed by what he is actually doing. Lying is a deal breaker. Sit down with him and ask him to tell you if he has lied about anything else. Also, talk about the future and discuss if you care enough about each other to start over. Your decision should be based on whether you believe you can trust him moving forward.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 16-year-old son likes a young lady who lives in our neighborhood. He told to me that he would like to take her to the movies for their first date. I am a little nervous to say yes because this is first time my son has expressed to me this type of feeling toward a young lady. I think I would like to chaperone my son on his date. I don't want to embarrass my son, but I want him to have a great time. What is a mother to do? -- Mother May I, Memphis, Tenn.

DEAR MOTHER MAY I: Going to the movies can be a nice first date. What's even nicer is that your son is asking your permission to set it up. At age 16, it is normal for him to want to court a young lady. I suggest that you remind him of boundaries and appropriate behavior and let him go, with your blessing. If he has his own money, that's great. If he needs financial support, give him what it costs for the two tickets plus a little extra for snacks. You want him to feel empowered during the date to be a gentleman.

Give him a curfew. When he comes home, give him a little space. You can ask him how his date went, but let him reveal details. He could easily be a little uncomfortable about talking about this first time that he has invited a girl to go out. Over time, ease information out of him. If he seems to like this young lady, suggest that he invite her over sometime for a meal so that you can meet her.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I placed an order with a local restaurant, and at the end of the order I told them that I would come to the restaurant to pick it up. When the food was ready, I went to the restaurant to pay. The cashier asked if I would like to leave a tip. I did not leave a tip because I went to the restaurant pick up my food. Do you think I should have left a tip? What is the proper etiquette when it comes to tipping for picking up an order? -- Hungry Man, Chicago

DEAR HUNGRY MAN: As you might imagine, there are varying opinions on this topic. People who have worked in food service suggest that you should leave something, up to 10 percent of the bill, because people who work at the restaurant prepared the food, packaged it and got it ready for you to pick up.

I would say that if you placed a very large or complicated order or if the restaurant did something else above and beyond the basics, it would be thoughtful to add a small tip. Outside of that, though, I do not subscribe to the automatic tip for takeout.

When it comes to eating in, 20 percent or more is the norm to follow unless you receive horrible service.

DEAR HARRIETTE: The situation "Tightrope" faced as a visitor with her two little boys in the home of a friend got me thinking. I have been in the shoes of the hostess mentioned -- she had to constantly be on guard when young children were present who had not been properly trained how to behave with other people's belongings. It is miserable for all involved.

At home is the place to start when toddlers first set out to explore. It is important to lovingly and consistently reinforce what is acceptable to touch and what isn't. We were able to take our four children anywhere and be quite confident that they would know how to be good guests. In our many years of ministry as pastors, we constantly heard what gracious and well-behaved children we had. Good manners helped them in so many areas of their lives. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren are following in their parents' footsteps. -- Thankful Granny, Wyoming, Mich.

DEAR THANKFUL GRANNY: Teaching children manners at home at an early age is smart. As you experienced firsthand, it makes it much easier to bring your children out to restaurants, to other people's homes, etc., if they are clear about what is expected of them wherever they are going. This takes practice.

For those parents who have not tried or have not been successful at training their children how to respect people's space or belongings, it is not too late to start. Rather than chastising your children, which can make them intimidated and resentful, think of creative ways to get them engaged. Make a game where whoever follows the most rules wins a prize. Your games can run from who knows how to set and clear the table to how to eat properly to the "walk, don't run" rule indoors to how to use your inside voice. Have fun and teach along the way. Then remind your children of the ground rules and expectations before you take them on an outing. Most important, be consistent. How you want your children to behave outside the home is how they should behave inside.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm wondering if "Doubted," the reader who needs help from family all the time, has considered counseling to improve his self-esteem, volunteering to give back and learn some job skills or going to school to enhance his job skills?

If I loan money to someone I love, I would be happy if he offered to baby-sit, shop for groceries for me, weed the garden, pick up books at the library, bake, do laundry, wash the car -- the list of tangible ways to show gratitude is endless. -- Grateful, Shreveport, La.

DEAR GRATEFUL: Getting creative to figure out a way to make good on a debt even when you do not have the money in the short term is smart. It shows your debtor that you are serious about repaying your debt and that you are willing to do whatever you can to be of support when you do not literally have the dollars to give back.