DR. WALLACE: I'm 15 and live with my parents. My 22-year-old sister lives in an apartment nearby with her 1-year-old daughter. She isn't married, so my mother takes care of baby Lacey when she goes to work. It's my job to take care of her when she goes out in the evening, which is usually twice a week. Lacey is the cutest and sweetest baby in the whole state of Mississippi and I love taking care of her.

My problem is that I don't receive one cent for taking care of her. My sister has a decent job and can afford to pay me something. When I ask for money, she always pleads poverty, yet she smokes like a chimney and keeps white wine in her refrigerator.

I can't refuse to babysit for her because my mother says Lacey is my niece and I should do it, but when it comes to earning money she always just says, "That's between your sister and you."

Don't you think that my sister should find a way to pay me for taking care of little Lacey? I'd be happy with a dollar an hour. Besides sometimes I can't take a paying job babysitting because I'm babysitting for my sister. Do you think I'm off base? — Sara, Jackson, Miss.

SARA: No, I don't think you're off base at all. Babysitting is one of the most important jobs on earth and there's no reason why you should not be compensated. I think it's up to your parents to tell your sister to do what's right — pay for your work. One dollar an hour is cheap. The going rate now is much more than that amount.

CONSIDER YOURSELF FORTUNATE

DR. WALLACE: I'm really mad and I don't really know what to do about it. I went to the school Winter Formal with a boy in my school and we had a great time. He asked me out several times after that and I thought we both had a fun time.

Then last week I found out that he had already asked two other girls to the dance before he asked me. The first girl already had a date and the other flat out turned him down. Now I'm feeling like a "second-hand Rose."

When I found this out I called him and he confirmed that it was true. I told him off and said I never wanted to go out with him again. I still think he owes me an apology. What do you think? — Nameless, Minneapolis, Minn.

NAMELESS: You may have heard the old expression about "cutting off your nose to spite your face." Your preposterous temper tantrum was driven by your foolish pride and it just ruined a good relationship.

This boy really did nothing wrong, unless it was inviting you to the prom in the first place. As you said, you both had a great time. Instead of looking at yourself as "second-hand Rose," you could consider yourself as fortunate by way of fate. And just think about this: two other girls missed the chance to go out with a "great guy."

He doesn't owe you an apology, but you sure owe him one. If you're smart, you'll give him a call and take back your foolish remarks. If you're lucky, he'll accept your apology and ask you out again.

WOMEN'S MOVEMENT NOT DAMAGED

DR. WALLACE: I invited a guy out on a date and he accepted. We went to a concert because I had won two tickets in a contest sponsored by a local radio station. After the concert, we went to a restaurant for a late night snack. When it came to pay, he picked up the tab and started to pay. I told him that since I did the asking, it was up to me to do the paying. He refused my offer and said he was going to pay the bill, and he paid it.

Now my girlfriend told me I set the women's movement back a year by not insisting that I pay the bill. I would have, but I didn't want to cause a scene in the restaurant. What do you think? — Nameless, Orlando, Fla.

NAMELESS: You offered to pay the bill, which is all that was necessary. Some guys just can't get used to letting girls pay on a date. Trust me, the women's movement was not damaged.

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.