DR. WALLACE: Recently, a girl wrote to you that her parents were divorced about a year ago and that her father comes to see her and takes her out every Saturday morning. This girl stated that she loved her father, but that it was infringing on her free time to spend four hours every week with her father. You suggested that the father and the daughter do some meaningful things together at other times during the week, instead of being locked into a 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. time frame every Saturday. That's a good suggestion, but I think the girl is missing the point. I sure wish I had her problem.

I am 15, and my parents have been divorced for four years. My mom received custody of me, and my dad used to visit me once every two weeks. I really looked forward to seeing him. We would go out to eat, see a movie and go shopping. It was great fun, and I loved my dad very much.

Then my dad met Carolyn, and soon after, my dad stopped seeing me. Carolyn and my dad are now married, and I haven't heard from him in over two years. He didn't even bother to send me a birthday card on my past two birthdays. I was ill a year ago, and my dad didn't even call to find out how I was doing, even though he was told that I was in the hospital. I guess he doesn't care if I live or die. Even though he has forgotten me, I still love him very much.

I'd like to tell this girl to enjoy every minute she shares with her father. These are moments that can never be replaced. - Nameless, Kansas City, Mo.

NAMELESS: Thanks for sharing your story with our teen readers. I hope your father reads this column and once again becomes a responsible parent. He was a father long before he met Carolyn.

MY SISTER MEANS WHAT SHE SAYS

DR. WALLACE: I'm 17 and really like a girl who happens to be my 16-year-old sister's best friend. I'd like to ask her out. I'm positive she would say yes because of the way she looks at me. I've "heard it through the grapevine" that she wants to go out with me. My problem is my sister. She does not want me dating this girl, and she told me that if I do, she would "disown" me as a brother and that she would not talk to me ever again. If you knew my sister, you would understand that she means what she says. Help! - Jacob, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

JACOB: I've changed my mind several times but finally decided that you should not date this girl as long as your sister feels this way. It appears that your sister is not dating and does not want to "lose" her best friend to a dating situation. But things have a way of constantly changing, and perhaps, in the near future, your sister will be asked out. It could be that she might even enjoy double dating with her best friend and you...

In the meantime, San Luis Obispo is a beautiful city filled with an abundance of eligible young ladies who would enjoy your company. Concentrate your efforts on finding one or two of them.

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. Email him at [email protected]. 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.