DEAR HARRIETTE: As I am getting my children ready for the upcoming school year, my son wants to paint half of his head green. I asked him why, and he told me his friends are painting their hair, and he does not want to be left out. I do not know how I feel about the idea. My son is a good kid, and he does not ask for much. What are your thoughts? – Heads Up, Union, New Jersey

DEAR HEADS UP: Going with the crowd is always something to think about before making a decision. In this case, if the hair color is temporary, it may not be such a big deal. Obviously, you have to decide. Last year, when my daughter was 11, she asked to dye the tips of her hair like some of the girls she had met that summer. I let her do it, and it was fun for a couple of months before it wore off. In her case, it didn’t lead to her wanting to do it again or wanting to do any other trendy thing. That said, I’m sure more trends are to come.

Decide what is important to you and your family and what frivolities you will allow. I find that striking a balance between fun and seriousness is important – as long as no decision compromises your values.

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DEAR HARRIETTE: I am in a little hot water. Last week, I posted a comment on my Twitter page that has gotten me in trouble. My boss called me into his office to reprimand me because I complimented one of our competitors, and I was not aware that I could get in trouble for posting on my personal Twitter account. Do you think I can tell my boss that what I do when I am not working is none of his business? Or should I be more mindful regarding what I post on Twitter? – Private Eyes, Philadelphia

DEAR PRIVATE EYES: In this day and age, everything you say, do or write can come into question in other parts of your life, including your work. Because you work for a company that has certain values, you are expected to align yourself with those values 24/7, not just when you are on the clock. Because you are admittedly naive about this, you can speak to your boss and apologize for making a comment that may have seemed inappropriate for the company. State that you thought your personal views were fine to post, but that you now see that this is not always true.

If you still want to work for your company, your boss will want to feel assured that you are 100 percent on board and that you will not make such a mistake again. He needs to believe that you are all in.

— Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

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