DR. WALLACE: I have a secret that I wouldn't admit to anyone in person, but since I can send you an email about it, I'll confess it: I absolutely love pretending! I'm a young lady who is nearly 18, and I love pretending sometimes that I'm a nurse or a princess or even a busy business executive flying off to a big meeting at a tropical resort in Hawaii or Florida.

It just makes me feel better about myself and my life if I allow myself to pretend to be something great, fun or prestigious from time to time.

My mother has caught me in the act a few times, but I explain my behavior away and she's not really aware of just how deeply I think about these "pretend daydreams."

Should I be concerned that I allow myself these indulgences, or should I know it off and get a grip on reality? What do you think: Could I be causing myself permanent harm via these delusions? — This Week a Princess, via email

THIS WEEK A PRINCESS: Some pretending is healthy, as long as it is intermittent, in moderation and if it relaxes your mind only temporarily.

We can think of daydreams the way a diner in a fine restaurant would think about a sorbet between courses — that the purpose is to cleanse the palate to prepare the diner for the next course.

As long as your daydreams are similar to sorbet, you're fine! But if you find your whole meal is mainly sorbet, then you would need to back off.

Some say daydreams convey our inner thoughts and desires to us in a harmless, playful way. This can be quite true at times, but be sure to keep yourself grounded in reality since you'll be spending most of your life there.

I HATE TO CLEAN

DR. WALLACE: I want my mom to hire a housekeeper because I don't like to clean my room, clean our kitchen and clean up our living room after my brothers trash it with snack food wrappers and spilled chips and salsa everywhere.

I feel like my dad and mom can afford a housekeeper to handle this type of cleaning. If I was older and had my own family and had enough money, I would hire a housekeeper! I'd also feel good that I could give someone a good, steady job and hopefully we could become friends with our housekeeper, too!

I don't mind cleaning up my own messes, but my brothers are total slobs and it's so gross to have to clean up after them. I do a reasonable job with my own room but I don't want to clean up the living room or family room for my brothers every time they trash it. Do you have any ideas about how I can convince my mom we should get a housekeeper? — Not my Brothers' Maid, via email

NOT MY BROTHERS' MAID: Almost no teen anywhere likes to clean up after others, especially siblings! Cleaning up after yourself and having a tidy room should make you feel proud because that is your space, so I'd advise you to do that very well and be sure your parents both notice that you take pride in your living space.

Then request a "family rule" that states the person making the mess in a common area must clean that area. It's unlikely that your parents are going to hire a housekeeper for you, but it's quite likely that if you keep your room well in order, you'll have the sway to get your parents on board to get your brothers to clean up after themselves.

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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