DR. WALLACE: My mom always makes me go to school, even when I am really sick! For some reason she doesn't have any sympathy if I have something physically wrong with me. For example, sometimes I get headaches and all I feel like doing is lying down with a cool washcloth on my forehead in a very dark room.

Other times I may have a sore throat or a bad cough and my mom will still make me get dressed and go to school. She has made a point of telling me that she had two years during her high school days in which she had perfect attendance, meaning she never missed one day the entire school year. I tell her that times have changed and that it's more important now to be healthy than it is to force yourself to socialize, especially when you feel sick.

Do you feel my mother is overbearing (as I do), or am I simply a "soft" teenager who likes being coddled? My mom always uses the word "coddle," as in "I'm not here to coddle you!" — Not Interested in Perfect Attendance, via email

NOT INTERESTED IN PERFECT ATTENDANCE: I agree with you on this. It sounds to me like you might be experiencing some form of migraine headaches and it would be best to get those checked out by a local physician.

And as far as being forced to attend school with a sore throat and a cough, I do not feel that that is a good idea at all. In today's world, coming off the pandemic we have all suffered through, a sore throat and ongoing cough should be treated at home, not at a school.

If you are sent to school in the future in this condition, you may want to voluntarily check into the nurses office and explain exactly how you feel. Your school's administration will likely make arrangements to allow you to go home and recuperate. Your mother may have had perfect attendance back in her day, but her day is not today's world, and you're living in a new time with new conditions. Your mother should understand and respect this, and she should respect that you should only attend school when you're healthy and not likely to spread your illness to others.

SHE CHANGES HER HAIR EVERY WEEK!

DR. WALLACE: There is a girl at our high school that literally comes to school every Monday morning with a new hair color! One week her hair was blue, the next week it was a combination of green and orange and then the week after that, it was bright red!

I'm a teenage girl also, but I would never have the courage to dye my hair all those colors. Sometimes I think she is very odd but there are other times I must admit that I admire her courage to simply show up with whatever hair color she feels like having that week.

Why do you think she does this? — My Hair Is Always the Same, via email

MY HAIR IS ALWAYS THE SAME: My guess (and take note this only but a guess!) is that she sees herself as a unique individual, and she elects to change her hair color to express herself, perhaps even on a variety of levels.

She might be artistic and creative, and this practice could give her an outlet in that regard. Another factor could be her personality, which you did not mention, but she may be outgoing or someone who has no fear jumping into any conversation at any time. In that case her hair colors may offer a starting point for a conversation with just about anyone.

Always remember that hair color or anything else that reflects the outward appearance of an individual should not be judged as the entirety of that individual. Remember that she also has her own unique personality underneath that hair, and you may someday wish to say hello to her, compliment her current hair color and ask her how long it takes her to change your hair color. This would give you a chance to speak with her. And if you do, you may discover that she's much more like you in terms of her core personality and humanity than you might have guessed simply by the appearance of her hair.

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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