DR. WALLACE: I'm in the seventh grade and get excellent grades. I feel that my grades are very important because I'm going to be a veterinarian after I finish my education. In one of my classes, (social studies) I'm designated as a teacher's aide. That means at times I will do errands for the teacher and once in a while I'll actually grade student tests that have true or false answers. I like the class and I enjoy helping the teacher.

Some of the students call me names such as "teacher's pet," and "traitor." This is the only negative thing about helping this teacher. What should I do because I don't enjoy being called names, especially traitor? — Nameless, Hobart, Indiana

NAMELESS: Those immature students who call you names are actually envious and if asked to be the teacher's aide they would jump at the opportunity. Do not confront the name callers. That's exactly the reaction they are trying to achieve; just smile and go on your merry way.

IT IS A PATHETIC EXCUSE

DR. WALLACE: I caught my boyfriend out with another girl. He called and said he was sick and broke a date with me, so I went to a movie with my older sister. Guess who we saw — my boyfriend and another girl. He didn't see me, so I didn't challenge him because I was with my sister and she doesn't like him anyway.

The next day, "sick" Jake and I had a talk. He apologized and said he smoked marijuana for the first time with his buddy and his sister and the girl he was out with was the sister. He said he never would have taken her out if he hadn't smoked marijuana because he didn't know what he was doing.

He promised never to smoke marijuana again. I want to believe him. Should I? — P.J. N. Aurora, Ill

P.J.: That's one of the most pathetic excuses I've heard in a long time. Smoking marijuana can be illegal and is unhealthy and can be blamed for a lot of stupid things, but not this. Your boyfriend went out with his buddy's sister because he wanted to, not because his mind was temporarily altered by pot.

So not only does he break his word to you and lie about it, but he also refuses to take responsibility for his actions. You may want to believe him, but you won't, will you?

LET MOM OR DAD DO THE DRIVING

DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and my mother won't allow me to go out on a date with a guy who is going to drive a car. She thinks guys are high-risk drivers. That really puts a crimp into my dating plans. Usually I have to meet the guy at the movie theater or he comes to my house and one of my parents does the driving to and from the date place. There's nothing I can do to change her mind. I know that some guys are careless drivers, but most of them are not. Do you have any information on just how bad teens drive? And do you think it's really that bad? — Unhappy, Columbus, Ohio

UNHAPPY: According to the latest government statistics, the life expectancy rate for 15 to 24-year-olds has decreased over the past two decades, while it has improved for every other age group. The prime culprit is the great number of highway deaths, which have more than canceled out advances in medicine and health care.

More than 9,000 teenagers die each year in motor vehicle accidents — and full half are killed in crashes caused by drunk driving.

In time, your mother will allow you to go out on a "car date," when she is convinced the guy is a responsible you man. Until then, enjoy your dates and let your parents do the driving.

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.