DEAR HARRIETTE: My son has been involved in musical theater from a very early age. He is 10 now and wants to create social media accounts. I believe his accounts should be made private because he is so young and you never know who is lurking on the internet. He thinks he should have public social media accounts so he can be discovered. My son's dreams of being on Broadway are important to me; however, his safety should always come first. Am I making too big a deal about this? My husband says they should be public accounts so they'd be like a virtual resume. -- Public or Private, Detroit

DEAR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE: Striking a balance between privacy and safety and opportunity can be tough. Your job, of course, is to figure it out for your child. What some families of child actors do is to create a stage name for their children that is different from the child's given name. Yes, the child's likeness will be out there, but being able to physically find the child becomes a bit more difficult if his identity is different.

You should check with SAG-AFTRA to see when you should register your child's proper name for professional reasons. But in terms of creating some form of protection between him and the outside world, a stage name may work. You should also make it clear that you will regularly access and review any and all content on your son's social media accounts, even as he gets older. Don't simply tell him you will do this. You must go in periodically and look at his interactions so that you truly do know who is contacting him.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 19-year-old college student who is 6 feet tall. Although you probably imagined a male, I am actually a very tall woman. Because of my height, I can't wear heels to dates, parties or formals. I always feel so casual wearing flats, and everyone else looks so fancy in their heels. Finding a guy taller than me is hard enough, yet I also have to struggle with finding appropriate shoes. How can I find dress-up shoes that don't have a heel? -- Gumby, Miami

DEAR GUMBY: I want to encourage you to embrace your height. As odd as that may seem right now, I can assure you -- from one tall woman to another -- that the sooner you revel in your height, the less of a big deal it will be, whether men are taller than you or not. Really! Many loving couples feature women who are taller than their men. You may end up being one of those people.

To that end, don't limit yourself to flat shoes. Consider kitten heels, which are typically very low but come in dressy styles, or even higher heels. So what if you gain a little height? As far as flat shoes go, there are options with sparkles and metallic leather, including ballet flats that look dressy. If you also have long feet, check out www.longtallsally.com for ideas. Or Google your size and preferred shoe style and enjoy exploring the many options that come up.

(Harriette Cole is a life stylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: After upping my fiber intake following a trip to my doctor, I have been having a very rumbly stomach. I need to pass gas much more frequently than in the past. I've been eating a ton of beans and broccoli, so my weight is going down, but my embarrassment has been going up. Sometimes I cannot even excuse myself. What can I do about this completely mortifying problem? My doctor did not tell me to expect this. -- Toot Trouble, Brooklyn, New York

DEAR TOOT TROUBLE: The first thing you should do is call your doctor. Check in with him and describe exactly what your diet has been, including what the increase in fiber has been. Your doctor may choose to have you modify the quantity of fiber that you are consuming.

You should also drink a lot of water. In order for the fiber and nutrients to move through your body easefully, you need to be properly hydrated. Adding fiber without balancing that addition with at least an equal amount of water could be clogging your system rather than helping it to cleanse.

Finally, do some research on fiber sources. Beans are known to produce gas for many people. Look for foods that are gentler on your system that will lead to the same goal.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been working at my current company for a few months now. Recently, my boss CC'd me on an email describing a work trip to China. I am ecstatic about this opportunity; however, I've never taken a professional trip. How can I make sure I don't make any rookie mistakes when traveling overseas? The trip is for a week and would include three employees plus my boss. -- International Success, Chicago

DEAR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS: What an exciting time this is for you! To prepare for your trip, start with your boss. Ask to have a brief meeting to talk about the trip. Come with a list of questions about how the meetings will be run, what the expectations will be of you, and whether there are any social customs that your boss feels are important for you to know and follow.

From there, do your own research. Read about cultural mores in China, particularly in the town that you will be visiting. Learn about food delicacies, greetings, dining etiquette, business etiquette and professional attire. Check in with your HR department to learn if there are any guidelines in place that your company typically follows. The more questions you ask, the more you will learn.

When you are on your trip, take your cues from your boss. Be observant. Notice how your colleagues interact with your local hosts and business colleagues. Be bright and friendly. If you do make mistakes, which is quite common, stay pleasant and willing to learn the appropriate way to handle a situation. It's not as important for you to make no mistakes. It is important for you to recover from them with grace and dignity.

(Harriette Cole is a life stylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My fiancee and I are finally moving in together. This is my first time in a while living with someone other than my children, and the same goes for her. I have a very minimalistic approach to how a house should be decorated, while she loves to make a house into a home. I've been struggling with how to incorporate both of our decorating styles into a shared living space. She loves earthy tones, while I love modern, sleek furniture. Is there any way each of us can win without clashing? -- Mix & Match, Indianapolis

DEAR MIX & MATCH: Here's where creativity needs to step in, along with a healthy dose of patience. What many couples do -- if they have the space -- is to let each partner have a room that they can decorate any way they want. This gives you complete freedom of expression in at least one area. The rest is a negotiation.

The idea of making the house a home is a great one, which you should acknowledge. Move from there to discussing how to incorporate dashes of color into her earthy palette. Get some interiors magazines to give you ideas. Look at some of the decorating shows on HGTV. Watch together and talk through design ideas and solutions. If you get into the project together, you will have a better chance of developing a shared visual identity that will make you both comfortable. Just remember that compromise is the key to happiness!

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a newfound love for entering contests. I love the possibility of winning something for free. Although I've entered over two dozen contests (for a free bike, free vacation, free fitness classes, etc.), I've never won. I am disappointed, but I keep going because I know my day will come. My friends say this is the beginning of an addiction, but it's all free! No harm if I'm not spending money, right? -- Love Freebies, Minneapolis

DEAR LOVE FREEBIES: I hate to break it to you, but the saying is largely true: Nothing in life is actually free. What do I mean? Even if or when you do receive a gift from one of these offers, what have you given in exchange? Usually, you have given up lots of personal information that marketers use to bombard you with promotions, hoping to lure you into buying something from them.

The amount of time that you invest in trying to get something for free could be better focused on getting yourself closer to a big goal that you have. Rethink how you spend your time and what you really want. And think through the free offers. For example, if you win a free vacation, how will you get there? Do you have the disposable income to enjoy yourself once you go? The swirl of energy that makes these offers so enticing usually fizzles out fast when you face reality. I vote for keeping your eyes on your own dreams rather than a random freebie that just keeps you hyped up.

(Harriette Cole is a life stylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)