DR. WALLACE: I have a huge problem. I really like this guy very much, but my parents don't approve of him because they think that he will be a bad influence. I know he had problems when we first met, but he has gotten over that phase and has become a much nicer guy. He's only a year older than I am and I think he really likes me as much as I like him.

I really want to continue seeing him and I don't want to break up with him. How can I convince my parents to also accept him?

NAMELESS: When parents feel their child is involved with someone who is a bad influence, the chance they will change their mind is doubtful. But I'd give it a try.

The better your parents get to know this guy, the better they can get a "feel" for his true character. Inviting your parents to join you and this guy for a Saturday lunch would be a good place to start!

SCHOOL DANCES ARE WONDERFUL

DR. WALLACE: I'm in the ninth grade and considered a good student. I rarely get into any trouble at home or at school. I am told that I am very trustworthy and mature for my age. I enjoy after-school activities. I'm allowed to attend football and basketball games, plays, and concerts.

My problem is that my parents will not permit me to go to school-sponsored dances. They think that kids who go to dances are drinking booze or smoking dope. Please tell my mom and dad that school-sponsored dances are not a hangout for the rough element. — Megan, Minneapolis, Minn.

MEGAN'S MOM AND DAD: As a former high school administrator, I can assure you that school dances are not havens for alcohol and drug abusers. Sure, a few teens will sometimes try to take advantage of the "dim lights," but they're generally discovered and sent packing. Teachers chaperone the dances at most schools. Some larger schools even hire off-duty policemen for parking lot and crowd control.

Speak with the school principal about your concerns. He or she will ease your fears about the safety and propriety of school dances and maybe even arrange for you to be guest chaperones at the next one. In any case, I hope you reconsider your ban on these dances. They give teens an opportunity to have fun and gain social maturity under the watchful eyes of trusted adults.

FEMALES ARE NOT THE "WEAKER SEX"

DR. WALLACE: Why are females known as the "weaker sex"? I'd like to know who gave us this untrue name! Yes, males are taller and stronger; that's because males, on the whole, have more body mass than females. I read in a health magazine that if a male and a female were the same height and weight, the female would be stronger. I'm positive it was a male who called females the "weaker sex." — Lena, Lexington, Ky.

LENA: I agree that it was a male who coined the phrase the "weaker sex" - and he lied!

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: Smithsonian Institution