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When Can I be Sure that I'm in Love?
DR. WALLACE: I'm really confused about being in love. I'm 15 and fell in love with Bobby when I was 14. I felt that someday we would get married. Then I met Carl. I soon forgot all about Bobby, and Carl was my true love. That lasted about two months,…Read more.
I'm 15 and Developed Better than Most 21-Year-Olds
DR. WALLACE: I'm a very mature 15-year-old young woman. I'm a bright student and physically developed better than most 21-year-old women. I enjoy reading classical novels, listening to classical music and engaging in stimulating conversation. I also …Read more.
Pack Up and Move Out
DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and so is my boyfriend. We have been dating for over three years and are supposed to be in love. That's why we're living together. I work from 9 to 5 on weekdays and Michael works from noon to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. …Read more.
Drugs Kill More People than Traffic Crashes
TEENS: The use of illegal drugs in the United States continues to expand at an alarming rate. In 16 states and counting, drugs kill more people than automobile crashes, according to data recently released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and …Read more.
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Your Mom has Relaxed Rules; Carl's Mom is StructuredDR. WALLACE: My boyfriend and I are both 17. We have a problem with his mother. She is old-fashioned and not in harmony with today's society. She has made dating rules that both my boyfriend and I think are unreasonable and unfair. Carl cannot be out past 8:30 p.m. on a school night. On the weekend, he has an 11 p.m. curfew, regardless of what's happening. Her reason for this early curfew is that there is nothing going on in our community; therefore, we shouldn't be looking for things to do. When I'm at his house and we are alone, a door must remain wide open. This is totally unacceptable. She says that if we are not doing anything wrong, the door doesn't need to be closed. Carl loves his mother and says he respects and abides by the rules, even though he disagrees with most of them. I'm not through yipping about Carl's mother. There's more. It is imperative that Carl let his mother know where he is at all times when he is out with me. He calls from his cell phone. When school is in session, he drives his car to school, but he must go directly home even if he is going somewhere else. He also must do his homework after school — no exception. Please tell us what we can do to eliminate rules that are so unfair. My mom is super. I have no rules or restrictions when it comes to dating. I can set my own curfew, regardless if it's a school night or the weekend. Carl has a 4.0 grade point average and probably will be our graduating class valedictorian. My mom has talked with Carl's mother, but was basically told in a polite manner to mind her own business. Please help us. Sometimes we both feel like we're in prison. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that my GPA "ain't so shabby" either. It's a 3.5. — Nameless, Troy, Mo. NAMELESS: What comes through most clearly from your letter is that there's more than one way to raise a teenager. Your mother is loose and relaxed about rules and, no doubt, big on trust. Carl's mom is highly structured and more vigilant than trusting. Judging by the way the kids have turned out, both parenting approaches are effective. My advice to you is to be happy you're with Carl, enjoy your time with him and stop complaining about his curfew. If his mother is "old-fashioned," then we need more old-fashioned parents. Carl loves his mother and respects and abides by her rules. He maintains a 4.0 grade point average and has been awarded a four-year university scholarship. She deserves praise, not ridicule. And don't forget — she approves of his dating you. By the way, your 3.5 GPA is terrific — congratulations! Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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