DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m having a hard time getting my teenage son to get up and take a shower. I don’t mean every day; I’m talking once a week. When I pester him, he blows me off, saying he’s saving water, or asking why it matters anyway; it’s not like he’s going anywhere. Really? Basic hygiene is still important. And the doctors say being clean is part of what keeps us safe. How can I get him to snap back into being responsible for himself? -- Hygiene

DEAR HYGIENE: Your son is being a teenager -- times 10. For what it’s worth, he is not alone. Many teenagers (and others) have slacked off on the basics after this extended period at home. Some people are hardly getting out of bed. It’s not good, but it’s true. To motivate your teenager, you have to get him where it counts. Take away his phone and all other electronics until he bathes. Tell him how many times a week you are requiring him to clean up. Then take his electronics and give them back only when he has complied. Trust that he will get clean fast if he suddenly cannot communicate with his friends.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I worked so hard over the past two years to clean up my credit and boost my credit score. When this year started, I had the best score of my life. Now I’m watching all of my hard work go to hell. I lost my job, and I don’t have the resources to pay my basic bills anymore. I found a part-time gig at my church that is good because at least I can buy food and pay rent for now. But my other bills? I don’t have the money. What can I do to save my credit score? -- Crash and Burn

DEAR CRASH AND BURN: I just listened to advice on this topic from Michelle Singletary, a financial reporter for The Washington Post. She suggested that you have to put everything into perspective. While it’s wonderful to have an excellent credit score, that simply cannot be the priority right now. Surviving must be at the top of the list. She cautioned people to pay the essentials first: rent or mortgage, electricity and food. I would add communication -- telephones are essential, too. After that, start negotiating with your creditors. Call anyone you owe money to, and talk to them about revised payment plans and potentially reduced bills. These days, creditors are often willing to work with anyone who is attempting to settle a debt.

As far as your credit score goes, it is most important for you to have a high score when you are applying for a loan. Unless you are currently looking for a loan, you can survive a dip in your score. Don’t belabor the credit report now. When the time comes for you to need it, you can explain what happened during the period that your score dropped. Like most everybody else in the world, you were living through the pandemic. We will all need a pass for surviving this one.

(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: Working from home every day and staring into a computer screen is making me nuts. I feel like I sit all day long. And I have the extra weight to prove it. It’s horrible. I don’t even want to get on the scale to see the damage I’ve done to my body. I’m mortified by the thought. I’m grateful to be working, but this isn’t sustainable. I am on teleconferences all day long, and I am forced to sit at my desk, not moving for hours. My smartwatch screams at me to stand up, but I keep sitting because that’s where the meetings happen -- on my computer. What can I do to take better care of myself? The end of this way of working is nowhere in sight. I don’t know if I am going to survive it. -- SOS

DEAR SOS: Can you elevate your computer so that you can stand during some of your calls? That is one way to get you out of that chair. In between meetings, stand up, stretch and walk around. Just like the guidelines to avoid getting carpel tunnel syndrome, every 20 minutes you should stand and stretch your body, including your arms and legs. Listen to your watch and stand.

Beyond that, figure out a time of day when you can exercise. If you can start your day an hour earlier, get up and either do a series of exercises in your house or take a walk. Move your body to get the blood circulating. In the evening, be sure to stretch again. Since you aren’t as physically active as you used to be, eat less. Dramatically reduce your carbohydrate intake, too. Wear clothes that don’t stretch. This will help you to keep track of your physical expansion.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have hired two young people to work with me on a project. It’s good because everybody can work from home. Their work is mostly research, but it does involve talking to a number of people they don’t know. I’ve been training them on the questioning process so that they can gather the data properly. So far, that is going pretty well. What is harder is getting them to realize that they have to look professional even though they are working from home. All of our calls are videoconferences. These kids are showing up looking like they just rolled out of bed with disheveled hair and the same sweatshirts every day. I know we are working from home, but it is still work. I need to drive home the point that this is a professional job, and there are expectations. How can I get them to comply? -- Dress for Work

DEAR DRESS FOR WORK: You have to be direct with them. Call them on their attire, and tell them what you expect them to wear when they are talking to you and when they are contacting others. Point out that even though you are working remotely, this is a professional engagement with specific expectations. Write them down so that your team is clear about what they are. The more direct you are with them, the easier it will be for them to follow your rules.

(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 son is scheduled to start college this fall at a local university, but we aren’t sure what is going to happen next. He is not having a graduation from high school because there can’t be any social gatherings. Now we wonder if he will actually go to college. Fall is right around the corner. I can’t imagine that they will figure out safe distancing in the classroom by then. Should we let him defer a year? Even with that, though, what will he do? He’s a young man, and he needs structure and direction. I don’t know how to guide him right now. -- College-Bound

DEAR COLLEGE-BOUND: Contact your son’s college. The admissions office is a good place to start. Do your best to get a human on the phone. This could be difficult, as most people are not going in to work. If you get an automated system, leave specific messages asking for someone to call you back. Listen to the prompts as there may also be messages about how classes will begin in the fall. Some schools have already declared that they will do virtual classes, using technology to engage students from a distance. Other schools are still figuring out if there is a way for students to be together.

At the same time, look around in your community for opportunities for your son, for internships or jobs. If he can balance some amount of work that will require structure with a virtual academic life, this may provide the stimulation needed for him to stay focused.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I began dating a guy at the end of last year, and it started off great. We would see each other every weekend. Since quarantine, we have only talked on the phone. That is wearing on us now. He lives about an hour away, and while he could come to visit, we are trying to follow stay-at-home orders. I want to be more flexible now. Each of us has stayed at home for all of these weeks, only venturing out to go to the grocery store. Do you think it would be OK for us to get together in person? -- Date Night

DEAR DATE NIGHT: The CDC guidelines do not say that you cannot be in anyone’s company ever. But you do have to take precautions. You can choose to see each other, but keep your distance and wear a mask. As hard as it may be, do not touch each other. Definitely do not kiss each other. But you could take a walk together. You can sit in your living room across from each other and talk. You can even share a meal if you sit 6 feet apart while you are eating. It is possible to be in each other’s company if you are vigilant about staying safe.

(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.)