DEAR HARRIETTE: I work as an organizer in a few residences. One of my bosses chooses to communicate strictly through text. I am all right with this unconventional method, but she also texts me about random topics -- very much like she is trying to start a friendship.

How can I respond when my boss texts me trying to be friends? I don't feel comfortable discussing my date nights and girls' nights with the woman who pays me. -- Sorting It Out, Westchester, New York

DEAR SORTING IT OUT: Sometimes when people work inside others’ homes, a certain level of intimacy grows over time. It doesn’t mean that you become besties. It may mean, in this woman’s case, that she wants to know you a little better, you being the person who spends so much time in her home gleaning how she lives her life.

Keep your written communication professional as you answer her personal questions as vaguely as possible. In this way, you will be communicating with her, but not revealing too much. Short answers work great. If she asks if you had a date on the weekend, you can respond, “Fun weekend,” or “Relaxing weekend,” or whatever else you want to say. You can then bring her back to the work by asking her something about what you have most recently completed that you think she will like.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I been experiencing feelings of dread and feeling overwhelmed. My workload hasn't changed much, but there are a few personal problems going on. My girlfriend says I might have anxiety, but I don't think that's it. I've never had anxiety before, and I doubt I could just develop it due to stress. -- Could It Be?, Atlanta

DEAR COULD IT BE?: Take some time to decompress. That could mean going to the gym, getting a massage, taking a nap, meditating or taking a day off from work. Spend time pampering yourself. Evaluate the personal problems that you mentioned. Go through them one by one, and determine what you can fix, change or otherwise improve. Be thorough as you look at the issues individually. Dealing in small bits will help you to not be overwhelmed.

If you continue to feel off and plagued by negativity, do yourself a favor and go to the doctor. Get a physical to check up on your health. It could be that something internal is upsetting the balance of your system. It could also be, as your girlfriend suggested, that you are experiencing anxiety or depression. Some of the most common symptoms of depression are being tired and lethargic, feeling restless and agitated or conversely sluggish, weight loss or gain, loss of interest in activities, feeling worthless or guilty, trouble concentrating or making decisions, or even thoughts of suicide. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical attention. There is no shame in getting help for whatever is going on with you.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist 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 Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I live by a big city, and I try to get my children into the city to see museums, plays and authors. Although we have an excellent experience once we are in the city, controlling my children on the train is a whole other beast. They go up to strangers, scream and are generally disruptive. I am so embarrassed yet don't know what to do. -- Wild Children, Denver

DEAR WILD CHILDREN: Change your strategy. Before you go anywhere, talk to your children about what to expect. This instruction must be extremely specific. Include not running, using inside voices and staying with their parents. When traveling on any kind of public transportation, your children need to understand what is expected of them, including how to get a ticket, the importance of being still in order to give other passengers room, and the requirement to stay with the family and to be quiet. Reiterate to them what behaviors they should exemplify when they are in public, and have them practice at home. Let them know that the reward for good behavior is to have wonderful experiences engaging others. The penalty for bad behavior is that they will not be able to enjoy any of these things. They may need a few times when they are denied the opportunity to go places so that the consequences are obvious.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My co-worker and I recently learned that we live in the same neighborhood. She suggested we begin carpooling to work, and I agreed -- only to be polite. Now, she is attempting to create a schedule with me. I know I should carpool to reduce emissions, but I value my alone time in the morning, and I don't want to chatter about work before arriving and after leaving. How do I kindly reject my co-worker's offer? -- No HOV, Silver Spring, Maryland

DEAR NO HOV: What about a compromise? Suggest to your co-worker that you carpool two days a week and go separately on the other days. Set it up as a trial for a month so that you can see if you are comfortable with the ride, with each other’s cars, with your individual schedules and with the conversation. It is OK for you to be honest with her. Tell her how much you enjoy your solitude and your early-morning rituals, and you aren’t sure that you want to give that up. Offer to do this trial period with her where you both assess if you are comfortable with the journey to and from work. No matter how you feel at the end of the trial period, even if you love it, be sure to check in with each other. If you want to extend the agreement, do so with timelines included. In this way, each of you has an equal stake in this drive.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist 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 Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: About once a week, I receive a LinkedIn notification that my ex has viewed my profile. I don't think he knows that I receive a notification whenever someone views my profile, and I am not sure if I should text him a heads-up about how transparent his snooping is. Would this be the kind thing to do, or would it simply embarrass him? -- Spying Sal, Dallas

DEAR SPYING SAL: Perhaps the good news is that you are aware of your ex’s spying. It lets you know that he has not been able to shake you from his life yet, for whatever reason. Continue to post on LinkedIn and any other social media that you use, being mindful that you are being watched. You do not need to alert him that you know he’s watching. That will only engage him in interaction when your intention must be to move on. Do not give him any reason to believe that there is a chance for you to reconnect if there is not.

Instead, continue to live your life and stay focused on what’s ahead. You may also want to be mindful of your surroundings. Be aware of who is around you, in case your ex’s spying turns into following you. If you start dating someone else, don’t post that right away. Don’t give your ex any reason to get heated about you.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I dislike when parents overshare about their child’s life on social media. As somebody who researches how posts get shared and how many people end up viewing them, I become uneasy to think that a child could be viewed by hundreds or thousands of people in a single day. These posts are usually harmless, but I don't think parents understand that their posts of their toddler in the bath can reach hundreds of eyes. Could I privately message the parents out of concern, or am I sticking my nose where it doesn't belong? -- Too Much Media, Cincinnati

DEAR TOO MUCH MEDIA: This is an important point, and you are right. Many loving parents who are simply doting on their children -- and even bragging a bit -- do not realize how far their photos and videos can go. This is in part because one person can easily share with another or copy and paste images to share with different people. That parent may have a small group of friends, but someone in his or her friend group could have a huge group of friends who then could have access to the images.

Should you say something? It depends on who you are telling. If you know the person and feel genuine concern that the image just posted might fall into dangerous hands, reach out in a private message to express your thoughts. It’s trickier if you don’t know someone, but even then, a private message may have impact. Imagine if you received a note from a stranger warning that the image you just posted of your beloved son or daughter might fall into the wrong hands. That would be chilling.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist 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 Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)