DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a father who is struggling with the news that my daughter is pregnant. I am disappointed in her because she is with a man who does not treat her well. I want to support her, but I don’t know how to do it.

The two of them are not married, and by the looks of it, this man has no intention to marry her.

As a father, it can be difficult to watch your child make decisions that you know are not in their best interest, but at the end of the day, just because I do not agree with all of her decisions does not mean I love her any less.

How do I support my daughter during her pregnancy even though I do not like the man she is having the baby with?

Supportive Dad

DEAR SUPPORTIVE DAD: Start thinking about how you can help your daughter in the long term.

Ask her about her plans. Can she take time off from work when the baby is born? Does she have insurance in place for herself and the baby? Does she have the financial cushion needed for child care?

Find out what she expects her baby’s father to contribute to the family. Do not disparage this man. Talk about plans and tactics for caring for this child.

Offer whatever you believe you can contribute to help her, but be careful not to promise anything you cannot or will not do. That’s how you can help your daughter to look ahead so that she can see what responsibilities lie before her and consider how she intends to handle them.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend is on some sort of weight-loss kick and is now trying to convince me that I need to follow her new routine as well.

The diet that she is on is too restrictive for me. I have had a long, complicated relationship with yo-yo dieting since my teens, and I am just now starting to fix these issues — well into my adulthood.

My friend is naturally pushy, and I don’t think she understands how triggering it is to be around someone who is so persistent about getting on a diet.

The only thing that I feel like doing is avoiding her. How do I handle this?

Pushy Friend

DEAR PUSHY FRIEND: Have a serious conversation with your friend, and be plainly honest. Admit that it is hard for you to have this talk with her because dieting in and of itself has been challenging to you.

As your friend, tell her that you need her to give you space to do what’s right for you, just as you are giving her space for herself. Ask her to stop pressuring you. Make it clear that if she cannot stop her pushiness, you will have no choice but to distance yourself from her.

Next, make good on your promise. You must take care of yourself first. If that means that you stop talking to her for some time or cut her off entirely, that’s OK. You need to surround yourself with people who are respectful and supportive, not those who are unable to have empathy for you in your situation.

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.