DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend and I are both 17. The problem we have is his mother. She is old-fashioned and not in harmony with today's society. She has made dating rules that my boyfriend and I both think are unreasonable and unfair. He can never be out past 8:30 p.m. on a school night. On the weekend he has an 11 p.m. curfew, no matter 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 when we are alone, a door must be left wide open. This is totally unacceptable. She says that if we are not doing anything wrong, the door doesn't need to be closed. Ken loves his mother and says he respects and abides by her rules even though he disagrees with some of them.

I'm not through yipping about his mother yet because there's more. It's imperative that Ken let his mother know where he is at all times. When he is out with me, he calls her 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 exceptions.

Please tell us what we can do to eliminate rules that are so unfair. I'm lucky because my mom is super. I have no rules or restrictions when it comes to dating. I can also set my own curfew, regardless if it's a school night or on the weekend.

Ken has a grade point average of 4.0 and probably will be our graduating class valedictorian. Already, he has been awarded a full four-year academic scholarship to a nearby university and his mother keeps harping that she doesn't want anything to mess things up. Like I'm going to mess things up!

My mother has talked with his 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 GPS "ain't so shabby." It's 3.5. — Nameless, Bowling Green, Ohio.

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. Your boyfriend'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 Ken, enjoy your time with him, and stop complaining about his curfew. If his mother is "old-fashioned," then we need more old-fashioned parents. He 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. 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.