DEAR HARRIETTE: It seems like everybody in my house has come down with a cold or something. My son is barking like a dog, as my mother used to say. It seems like a regular cold, but I know he should rest. He is worried that he is going to miss an important test in school. He is also afraid that if he goes to school, he may end up getting other kids sick. He went in one day already, and a teacher wouldn’t let him in her classroom. How can I help him get well while still staying current in school? -- Sick Kid

DEAR SICK KID: As a parent, you need to step in as the voice of reason and authority. If your son is sick and potentially contagious, he should not go to school -- period.

You should take your son to the doctor to find out exactly what’s wrong with him and how you can support his healing. While it could just be a cold, you don’t know what he’s got. Get him evaluated, and request a medical note excusing him from school. You should also contact the school directly to let them know that your son has been ill, which is why you kept him out. Ask for makeup dates for any tests and extended deadlines for homework that occurred while he was out. Don’t send him back to school until he is well enough to go without making others ill.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I went to an event last weekend and ran into a man who used to be a huge crush for me. I haven’t seen him in years. That night I had a dream that he kissed me; I blushed even in my sleep. I realize that I still like him, even after all this time. We are both single, but it’s been like seven or eight years since we have seen each other. We did exchange numbers. Should I call him? Should I tell him about my dream? -- Smitten

DEAR SMITTEN: It sounds like only time has passed, not your crush. Before you do anything, go back down memory lane and recall what your relationship was like with this man years ago. You say he was your crush. Did he ever share your passion? If it was one-sided then, it could be the same now.

If the attraction was not obviously two-sided back in the day, cool your jets. You may not be able to trust your instincts now. I recommend that you do nothing. If this man is interested in you, let him make the first move. Otherwise, don’t leap backward into a time warp that didn’t serve you back then.

Let’s say that something about this moment makes you feel that the attraction is real; I still recommend that you let him make the first move. In this way, you will have assurance that he is contacting you because he wants to, rather than because he is responding to your call.

(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 have a spending problem. I can’t seem to stop myself from buying things online. Plus whenever I go out to the mall or something, I can’t just look. I end up buying something. I don’t know why I have this compulsion. My house is overrun with stuff that I have bought but don’t need and have nowhere to store. I think I have a problem. I am not rich and cannot afford all this stuff. But I can’t seem to stop, either. HELP! -- Compulsive Shopper

DEAR COMPULSIVE SHOPPER: Thank you for speaking up about your problem. You are not alone. Thousands of people in our country suffer from this compulsion. You have taken the first step by admitting that you have a problem in the first place.

Experts suggest that compulsive shopping usually masks a deeper problem with self-esteem in one way or another. To release yourself from this habit, it is best to go to therapy, where you can talk honestly about your life and your choices to a professional who can help you to develop healthier habits.

For support, contact theshulmancenter.com/overspending-shopping-addiction.html or Debtors Anonymous at debtorsanonymous.org.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just learned that my daughter, a college student, is pregnant. She was doing so well in school, and now this. Our family does not believe in abortion, so she is going to have the baby. We have no idea how we will afford to take care of it, whether she will continue college or anything else. We are at a loss. My husband and I cannot afford to take the baby and care for it, and we are not in the best of health. My daughter is not with the young man, and he is not willing to help in any way. What can we do? -- Pregnant Too Soon

DEAR PREGNANT TOO SOON: Bringing a child into the world is a blessing and a responsibility. Your daughter needs to assess what she wants to do before the child is born. Among her choices is adoption. If she does not have the means on her own or with her family to provide for a child, she should figure out a healthy option that will ensure that this baby has the best life possible. Talk with her about adoption. It could occur within your family if there is someone who would like to raise a child, or through an agency.

If she wants to keep the child, your daughter may have to delay her education and get a job. Again, if you cannot support her and the baby financially for the long term, she has to figure it out. This may feel like you are abandoning her, from her perspective, but what you need to do is to be honest and transparent. Let your daughter know exactly how you envision you may be able to help and what you cannot or will not do. Then it is up to her to make choices accordingly.

(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 family and I are planning a big birthday celebration for our dad. He is turning 85, and we want to honor him while he is alive. As we have been going over the invitation list, we came to some people who have recently lost their parents. Is it insensitive to invite the surviving adult children of my father’s friends who have died this year? We don’t want to be rude, but at the same time, we have been close to this family since we were little. It seems wrong to exclude these people. What do you think? -- Invite List

DEAR INVITE LIST: You should include these loved ones on your invitation list. They will decide whether they feel up to joining the celebration. It may be perfect for them to participate in this moment of fellowship when people are connecting and being joyful because someone has reached this milestone. Of course, it won’t take away the grief of having lost their own parents. They may have moments at your father’s function when they well up with emotion. That’s fine.

By all means, extend the invitation to those people. You may want to call them and personally invite them. Let them know that you continue to hold them in your prayers as they mourn the loss of their parents. But make it clear that you hope they will join you.

DEAR HARRIETTE: When I was growing up, I always had some kind of job going back to middle school. I babysat. I helped at my grandpa’s deli. I cleaned up at church. I raked leaves. And I got paid -- not much, but something for my work.

I have a teenage son who is so lazy. He doesn’t think he should have to do anything that resembles work, even in his own home. Yet he is constantly asking for money -- not lots of it, but pocket change for snacks and other things.

Compared to some of his peers, he seems to be pretty frugal, but I want him to understand the value of working for a dollar. He is old enough to get a work permit, but he is not inspired to do so. I didn’t force him to have specific chores when he was younger, and now it’s hard to get him to do anything. How can I turn this around? -- Getting Teen Motivated

DEAR GETTING TEEN MOTIVATED: It is not too late to establish responsibilities around an allowance for your teen. If he does not do what you have detailed for him and he no longer gets the pocket change he wants, he will wake up to his role in his own life.

Beyond that, talk to your teen about his future. What does he want for himself? Of course, this can be about long-term goals and short-term goals. Long-term may be about college and career. Short-term can be about having resources to support his teenage lifestyle -- and that requires money. Introduce the idea of finding a job to be able to afford his desires.

(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.)