DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and in the 11th grade. I'm not brilliant, but I'm told by my school counselor that I have above-average intelligence and should have little problem earning a college degree. Both of my parents are professionals. My father is a college professor and my mother is an attorney. Both stress getting top grades.

This semester I am getting two A's and four B's. I'm not a valedictorian candidate, but my grades are good and I'm proud of them. I'm also a good softball player. I pitch and play centerfield.

My parents, however, expect me to average four A's and two B's, so they are unhappy with my grades and are threatening to keep me off the team so I can spend more time on my studies. Even if I spent much more time studying, I doubt seriously that my B's would become A's.

I would be crushed if they made me quit the team. How can I make my parents understand that I'm not a straight-A student? - Kenny, San Diego, Calif.

KENNY: I firmly believe that denying a child the opportunity to participate in a wholesome, school-sponsored activity is not an effective motivation. If you were failing a class, your parents might need to take drastic action, but doing so simply to raise your grade point average a few notches is arbitrary.

If Mom and Dad are adamant, you need to get some allies. I suggest that you discuss your dilemma with your school counselor and ask him or her to arrange a meeting with your parents, the counselor, you and your coach.

MY MOTHER NEVER BELIEVES ME

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 15-year-old girl and a pretty good kid. Don't take me wrong; I'm not a "goody-goody," but I've never been in trouble and I'm not into drugs or alcohol. I've got a boyfriend, but I spend more time with my three best girlfriends than I do with him.

My problem is that my mother (my parents are divorced) doesn't trust me at all. I'm always telling her the truth, but all she ever says is, "Do you think I was born yesterday?" or "That's a bunch of bull."

Last Saturday, my girlfriends and I spent three hours working at a car wash to earn money for the homeless. When I came home, my mom asked me where I had been. When I told her, she said, "That's a bunch of bull. You were out with your boyfriend." When I told her that she never trusts me, she said that parents are not supposed to trust their kids. How do you feel about this? — Kim, Phoenix, Ariz.

KIM: I believe parents should trust their child until the child betrays (if ever) that trust. When a parent consistently refuses to believe a child, the child, in many cases, reverts to telling lies. Basically, the child has nothing to lose.

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.