DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend and I get along for the most part, but lately we've been increasingly edgy with each other. There have been a few arguments and a few periods where we were not speaking much to each other because we each knew the other was upset.

When this happens, I find myself having an overwhelming desire to sneak off in the afternoons and go to a local movie theater by myself to watch romantic comedies. These types of movies usually show a couple getting together and enjoying each other's company, then facing some struggles or challenges, but after a series of quirky or funny events, they come back together and enjoy each other more than ever by the end of the movie.

I always walk out of these movies feeling much calmer and more relaxed, and I think about my present relationship in a slightly more mellow state of mind. Sometimes this translates to my real-life relationship, to make it go smoother or better, but I'll admit there are also times when there's no positive movement at all. Do you think it's healthy for me to escape to watch one of these movies here and there when I'm not feeling so good about my own relationship? — I Sneak Off by Myself, via email

I SNEAK OFF BY MYSELF: I don't see any problem with this at all, as it appears to me that you need a quiet and safe place to catch your breath and look at the bright side of what a relationship could be.

However, as you watch these movies, be sure that you keep front and center in your mind that these are fictional stories. Real life is always much more challenging, so resist the temptation to assume your real-life relationship will have much in common with the movies you enjoy watching. Beyond that, my advice to you is to communicate with your romantic partner as earnestly, directly and wholeheartedly as you possibly can. When difficult times come, lean into the relationship more than seeking to distance yourself. Leaning in and communicating more will allow you to have an opportunity to find a remedy if there is one to be had. And if there is not a remedy to be had, giving your best efforts at communicating well, and giving it every opportunity will be comforting if you decide thereafter to move on.

DO THEY LIKE ME, OR DO THEY LIKE MY MOM'S BAKING?

DR. WALLACE: I'm 13 and in intermediate school. I'm always seeking to make friends, especially new friends because I don't have a close best friend right now. I explained this to my mom about a month ago, and she told me that she would be fine with me inviting some new possible friends from my class to come over to our house after school to hang out and eat some treats. My mother is a tremendous cook, and her specialty is baking. Our house always smells so delicious because she makes the best pastries, cookies, cakes and muffins you can ever imagine as an afternoon treat.

I've invited a few classmates over to my house, and all of them love the food that my mom served us. All the classmates I've invited over to my house are asking me to come over to my house again. But this now makes me wonder if they want to just eat my mother's homemade treats, or if they care at all about hanging out with me! How will I ever know? — My Mom Is a Great Cook, via email

MY MOM IS A GREAT COOK: Start by asking a few of the friends or classmates that have already visited your families' home if you can similarly visit their home after school one day. Mention that you would be fine hanging out to watch movies, listen to music, eat snacks or even study together.

Then listen carefully to what they say and see if any of them are interested in inviting you to their home. This would be a good way to start, because someone who truly wants to spend time with you away from your mother's excellent cooking may be more focused on you first, and then they may simply appreciate your mother's snacks as a bonus rather than their prime motivation to visit your home.

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.

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