DR. WALLACE: I quit school when I was 17. Even though I was a good student, I had to get a job to help pay the family bills. My mother worked full time, and my dad couldn't find a job because he was drunk most the time.

When I was 19, I got married to a guy who was 28. He is a good man, and I love him a lot. He has a good job, and we are not hurting for money these days, and I'm happy to add that we also have a beautiful baby daughter. My husband has a college degree, and my goal is to eventually get one of my own. So, to start with, I want to go to night school to finish my high school education and get my diploma.

My husband doesn't want me to go back to school because he says he can easily support our family and my diploma won't help me other than making me feel good.

Fortunately, it's not a major disagreement, and he said he would support me if I decided to go back to school. He simply told me that I could be a full-time stay-at-home mom if I wanted to.

Please give me your opinion on my situation. Would I really be wasting my time by going back to school? — Happy Wife and Proud Mother, via email

HAPPY WIFE AND PROUD MOTHER: Do pursue your high school diploma, and when the time is right, go after that college degree as well! Remember that in your present situation you don't need to rush, so take things in very small bites when it comes to resuming your education. It sounds like you have a wonderful home life as things are, so please take care not to rush and create stress in your presently happy life. But I do advise you to proceed with your goals gradually over time!

Education is valuable, and not just because you wind up with the diploma. It has value for its own sake. When you broaden your basic skills and learn to better understand this complex world we live in, you are accomplishing far more than just the idea of making yourself "feel good." You are adding to your skill set and moving yourself closer to achieving your full potential as a wife, mother and citizen. Good things happen when you open your mind to ongoing learning! I support and absolutely encourage you to pursue your educational goals.

SNIFFING MUST BE STOPPED

DR. WALLACE: My brother is 15, and lately, he has been hanging around with a couple of other boys who are known troublemakers. I told this to my parents, but they didn't seem overly concerned. Well, this morning, I was looking for my pet cat, and I thought he might be in our garage. When I went in the garage, my brother and his two troublemaking friends had bags over their heads and were sniffing something from an aerosol can. My brother yelled at me to get out, and I did.

Should I tell my parents about this? How dangerous is it to sniff stuff from a spray can? I was shocked to see this, and I can't stop thinking about it. I wasn't snooping on them; I was just looking for our cat. — Nonsnooping Sister, via email

NONSNOOPING SISTER: Sniffing is an extremely dangerous pastime for a teen or any human being to be involved in. Do tell your parents immediately, as they need to take action to stop this right away. Your brother is risking his health, and maybe even his life, if he continues with this sniffing habit.

I've read many letters detailing that inhaling the wrong substance even one time can cause sudden death. Less serious effects from "sniffing" include hallucinations, severe mood swings, numbness and tangling in the hands and feet. There are also a number of physical consequences that result from prolonged use, such as an irregular heartbeat and damage to the brain, kidney, liver, lungs and nervous system. Sniffing is a very, very dangerous activity.

Sudden sniffing syndrome can cause cardiac arrest, suffocation, choking on vomit or asphyxia. With asphyxia, solvent gases significantly limit the available oxygen in the air, which can even cause breathing to stop.

Inhalants contain a diverse group of chemicals common to many consumer products, such as aerosols and cleaning solvents. Because they are easy to obtain, their use is highest among junior high school students.

Readers, any time you witness or even hear about a young person's sniffing habit, don't laugh or dismiss this as a phase that will be grown out of. Take action to stop this behavior immediately.

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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