DEAR HARRIETTE: My teenage son, "Alex," eats large amounts of food. This is to be expected for a growing boy, and I’d estimate he eats six full meals a day. He eats everything in the refrigerator, on the counters and in the pantry.

I've noticed my daughter, who is 10, eating less and less because Alex devourers her favorite foods without thinking. I believe he eats inconsiderately because he never asks for anything from the grocery store, yet eats all the food that everyone else requests. How can I balance life with a human vacuum in the kitchen? -- Moderation, Madison, Wisconsin

DEAR MODERATION: You need to talk to Alex to teach him about using his brain when he reaches for food. It is important for him to think about others, even as he is a growing teenager who craves food. You may also want to resort to an extreme measure that many other families have had to put in place -- lock some food away that he cannot access. Put the foods that you want reserved for your daughter and for the rest of the family into a separate refrigerator that you literally lock. That way, Alex cannot eat it even if he wants to.

Finally, you can continue to ask Alex to give you a list of food items he prefers. Put his name on those items, and put your daughter’s name on her favorites, yours on your favorites and so on. At least this will begin to raise the awareness in your home that food is there for more than one person’s consumption.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been putting off publishing my own website on which to sell my ceramic art. What nobody knows, though, is that I have a completely done, unpublished website ready for launch. Every time I think about pressing “publish,” I think of how embarrassing it’d be to fail. While everyone encourages me, I know they won’t all buy my art. Should I wait until I sell some pieces in person? I could not handle failing at my favorite thing in the world. -- Under Pressure, Williamsburg, Virginia

DEAR UNDER PRESSURE: Stop drowning in worries about what might go wrong and launch! Success will be measured over time, and trust that your success will not be due to your friends buying most of your artwork. You will need to build a following among collectors of your style of work. You must cultivate mailing lists, learn to promote your work in a targeted way and find craft fairs and other events where you can bring your work for others to see.

For starters, you don’t have to tell your core group of friends and family, if that makes you feel safer. Do a soft launch, look for online and other outlets that attract your customer and align with them. When you feel comfortable, tell your loved ones and ask for their support. Focus on the positive, and build your art business.

(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 accepted a position at a company that’s been experiencing a lot of turnover. I didn’t know this until I started working here, and I find that it makes it hard for me to stay motivated when I see people leaving every few months. The office is fairly small (around 20), yet I have seen four new hires in my two months working here. How can I stay motivated at a company where all the others just pack their bags when it gets tough? -- Keep Your Head Up, Arlington, Virginia

DEAR KEEP YOUR HEAD UP: Set a goal for yourself at this company, something big enough to be a stretch. Next, map out a strategy to meet that goal that includes working with fellow team members to show your collaborative spirit but that allows for enough independence that if someone were to leave, it wouldn’t handicap you. When people leave, say goodbye as you keep your eyes on your prize. You should know that people who stay at jobs long enough to make a positive and long-lasting impact on the company, its staff and the bottom line tend to move on successfully to other businesses because they are establishing track records of success that will follow them. You have a chance to build a stellar reputation of being responsible, hard-working, loyal and committed by keeping yourself focused -- no matter who goes through that revolving door.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My father is a hoarder. He saves everything from his old teeth to plastic bags. It revolts me and causes me embarrassment. He grew up during a war, so I sympathize with his compulsion to keep whatever goods he can. Luckily for me, we live oceans apart, and I don’t have to see the living conditions he brazenly fights for. (The family has tried helping to no avail.)

My husband has never met my father, and has recently expressed interest in taking a trip. I have never told him much about my father, and I don’t want them to meet. How can I keep the men in my life separate? -- Honesty Isn’t the Best Policy, Los Angeles

DEAR HONESTY ISN’T THE BEST POLICY: Don’t allow your embarrassment over your father’s life circumstances deprive your husband of meeting him. Instead, tell the truth. Admit that you are embarrassed because you have no idea what state your father’s home will be in since you know he’s a hoarder. Tell your husband that the thought of a visit makes your skin crawl, but you love both of them enough to make the effort. Without belaboring the reality of your father’s physical circumstances, tell your husband what you know and what the family has told you.

Then, focus on the good things. Share stories with your husband about your father that reveal his character as well as anything you remember about your interactions growing up with him. Be descriptive as you show positive, illustrative stories that will help paint a picture of who your father is.

(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: My boss, “Sara,” isn’t the most well-liked person at my company. Sara leaves her packages lying around, is very brash and rarely cleans up after herself. Other employees make snarky comments about her behind her back when she is not at work. There’s no way to deny that she is all of the previously stated things (she has asked someone if they are pregnant or just “got fat”).

Should I defend Sara when I hear these statements? I don’t want to ostracize myself, but I feel like I should stick up for my boss no matter what. -- Employee of the Century, Wichita, Kansas

DEAR EMPLOYEE OF THE CENTURY: Watch what you say. You should not defend inappropriate behavior, no matter whose behavior it is. To protect your boss, it would be better for you to speak to her privately and express your concern that when she makes comments about people’s body size and condition, it is hurtful and embarrassing, but more, it could put your boss in a compromised position. An employee could accuse her of being discriminatory or worse.

What you can say when people talk about your boss is that you think it’s smart for everyone to focus on work. Griping about the boss on the job is not productive.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My father is in his 60s and not in the best health. He still travels for work because he does not want to hand over the reins to anybody else. I respect that my father wants to stay independent; however, I never hear from him when he's traveling. He is sometimes gone for weeks at a time, and I always assume the worst when he doesn’t call, text or email once every few days. Am I being an overbearing son? I don’t want to hound him, but I need to know my old man is still well. -- Smoke Signals Work, Too, Jacksonville, Florida

DEAR SMOKE SIGNALS WORK, TOO: Your challenge is tough as your father wants to maintain his independence. You need to get creative in order to convince your father to stay in touch. Consider asking him to text you photos when he gets to his destination. Tell him you miss him and would love to see snippets of his trips while you also get to confirm that he’s safe

Be honest. Tell him that in this day and age, it is important for you to know where he is. So much is going on in the world, it will set your mind at ease to know that your dad is OK. Admit to acting like a father yourself. Then do it. Go sappy on him. Tell your father that you love him, you worry about him and you need to know that he’s fine. Ask him to agree to at least call or text when he gets to his destinations and when he returns home. If he is flying a lot, ask him to shoot you a quick text saying he’s safe in whatever city it is, and that’s that. You may have to remind him from time to time and even nudge him to respond. Keep trying.

(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.)