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Love Is the Key to Successful Parenting
DR. WALLACE: I am a single parent of an 11-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. I had a lot of problems as a teen because my parents were super lenient in controlling me. Let's say I could do almost anything that I wanted with no questions asked.…Read more.
Give Intelligent Young Women a Break
DR. WALLACE: I'm angry that you encourage all girls, even the mentally, emotionally and physically mature young women who happen to be teenagers, not to get involved with older guys. You are dead wrong in your assumption that older guys and teenage …Read more.
Open and Honest Conversation Is Paramount
DR. WALLACE: Please tell me what to do. I'm 20, married three years and the mother of a 2-year-old son. I love my husband very much, but I'm lonely and depressed. My husband works 12 to 16 hours, 6 days a week. I have no friends, no job and no time …Read more.
My Friend's Mother Helps Her Cheat
DR. WALLACE: We have homework four days a week in world history. I do all my homework by myself, but my best friend's mother helps her with hers. I average a B on my homework, but my friend averages an A. I don't believe this is fair. Both of us are …Read more.
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The Father of my Baby is Only 15DR. WALLACE: Last July, my boyfriend (15) and I (16) had sex for the first time, and as luck would have it, I got pregnant. My parents supported me and encouraged me to keep the baby. My boyfriend's parents encouraged me to have an abortion, and when I didn't, they forced him to stop seeing me. I still care for the baby's father and want him to take an active part in our baby's future. What can I do to force him to take care of his responsibility? As you are well aware, I couldn't have become pregnant without his cooperation. The baby is due in April. — Nameless, San Diego. NAMELESS: Presently, because of the boy's young age, there is nothing you can do legally to force him to accept his responsibility of being a father. However, when the boy becomes a legal adult at age 18, it would be in your best interest to seek legal advice. I'd advise you to keep an open and honest relationship with him. When he becomes older, it is possible that he will choose to accept his responsibility. Until then, accept the love and support of your parents and concentrate on being the best possible mother to your baby. Nothing for you is more important than assuring the safety and well-being of this precious young life! MY PUNISHMENT IS TOO SEVERE DR. WALLACE: I'm a 13-year-old girl. A few nights ago, my parents were going to the movies and said I could have a few girlfriends over while they were gone. Well, everything was great until one of my girlfriends called a guy.
It just so happens that the movie wasn't any good and my parents left before it was half-finished. When they came home, they were bent out of shape because the guys were in the house. To compound the problem, they caught my best friend kissing her boyfriend in their bedroom. Now I'm on restriction for six months and am forced to find new friends. I don't think this is fair because it was my girlfriend who called the guys and she's the one who got caught with a boy. Please give me your opinion of my severe punishment. — Coral, Vero Beach, Fla. CORAL: The lesson here is that when it's your house, you're the one who's responsible. Even though your friend made the call, it was your responsibility to tell the guys to leave. You broke the trust your parents placed with you, and I agree that some punishment is in order. A six-month restriction does sound severe. Your parents were shocked at what they found when they got home and may have overreacted a bit. You didn't instigate the trouble and got caught in an unforeseen bind. Perhaps, they'll relax the punishment if they see that you are sincerely sorry about what happened, and you promise that it will never again be repeated. In other words, you have learned your lesson! 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 2010 CREATORS.COM
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