DR. WALLACE: I love playing in the snow and building a snow fort, but my mom doesn't like me to go out when it is really cold. She thinks playing outside in the cold and snow will cause me to get a bad cold or even the flu. All my friends play in the snow and they don't get sick, so I'm wondering, if it's so bad to play out in the snow, why don't they get sick? — Jamie, Rock Island, Ill.

JAMIE: When I was young, my mother would always tell me to wear a warm coat if I went outside during cold days because she didn't want me to "catch my death of a cold."

Now medical science has proven that the old way of thinking is not accurate. Colds, the flu, and pneumonia are caused by viruses, not by the air temperature. Researchers in Great Britain settled this debate once and for all. In an experiment, they sprayed people with water and sent them outdoors in cold, windy, wintry weather. None of them suffered any ill effects, not even a sniffle!

MR. RIGHT'S NAME IS NOT LUKE

DR. WALLACE: I'm dating Luke, who continues seeing another girl even though I have asked him to stop seeing her. He always says that we're not engaged and he can see anyone else he pleases.

He has encouraged me to date other guys when he is with Erin, but I don't want to. I care a lot about this guy and I want him all for myself. We have great times when we're together. What can I do to make me his one and only? I feel terrible sitting at home alone and knowing he's out with another girl. — Confused, Chicago, Ill.

CONFUSED: Luke has been honest and has given you a choice: You can either accept the fact that he's dating another young woman, or you can end the relationship. For whatever reason, he has no wish to be in a steady relationship with only one female right now. I urge you not to sit home alone when he's out with Erin. That's a sure recipe for unhappiness and frustration. Go out — if not with other guys, then with your friends. The best, or perhaps only way to change someone else's behavior is to change your own. I guarantee, Mr. Right is still out there, waiting for you, and his name is not Luke!

NOTHING GENETIC REGARDING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and so is my boyfriend. He is in his first year in college and I'm working full-time as a checker in a supermarket. We've been together for over two years and there is a good possibility we will someday be husband and wife.

Five years ago, his father and his father's best friend were convicted of a crime. His father spent 22 months behind bars, and his friend was incarcerated for 30 months.

I know this is probably a stupid question, but I'd really like you to answer it. Is crime an inherited trait, and if we did get married, could our children be at risk? — Nameless, Moline, Ill.

NAMELESS: No. There's nothing genetic regarding criminal behavior. Crime is an individual moral choice, but can be fostered in an abusive, dysfunctional family environment. If the two of you are loving, supportive parents, your children will grow up to be good citizens.

By the way, there's no such thing as a "stupid" question. I respect every question a teen asks.

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 [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.

Photo credit: Christophe