DR. WALLACE: I'm a teenager being raised by a terrific single mother. My sister and I love her dearly, and we're quite proud of how hard she works to provide for us. We have a great family unit, and we all chip in to help our family succeed with everything we need to deal with every day, week and month.

My sister and I have basically figured out how to deal with our busy lives, but it's obvious that our mom really gets stressed out from time to time.

I've thought of giving her a few suggestions on how to best deal with stress, but I worry that coming from me, someone so young compared to her, might not be considered valid or appropriate. What do you think? I'd love to help her but don't want to overstep my bounds since I'm her son. — Want To Help Mom, via email

WANT TO HELP MOM: I'm impressed with the depth of your thinking and can tell by reading your words just how much you love and respect your mother.

It's fine for you to provide her with some suggestions, and you can start by telling her that you're doing it since you care so much about her.

You can also mention that you did some research on the topic and even took the time to write in to an advice column. I can give you a few ideas, and then you can research them further and decide which ones might best apply.

The tried-and-true list of stress reduction activities includes exercise, eating a healthy, balanced and calorie-appropriate diet, spending quality social time with friends and co-workers away from the job site and getting enough hours of quality sleep. She should also find a form of relaxation such as listening to music, reading, enjoying a leisurely bath or doing a few minutes of yoga.

The busier someone is, the more that person needs to decompress in a fun, enjoyable and truly relaxing way. Just 10 minutes a few times per day can make a huge difference.

I wish you well on this endeavor, and I trust with you as a core part of your mother's support, she'll find a few great ways to recharge and reenergize herself in the very near future.

IT'S SAD TO SEE MY UNCLE IN SUCH DEBT

DR. WALLACE: I'm a teenager who lives in a rural area where many people just barely scrape by.

I have an uncle who is a war veteran and a widower who lives across town from us. I heard my parents speaking with him last weekend about how is really behind on his bills due to his wife's illnesses and the medical challenges he has.

It's a shame that those who fought to defend our country are sometimes left in great financial peril near the end of their lives. I wish there were something I could do to help him. — Nephew of a Veteran, via email

NEPHEW OF A VETERAN: I can't promise anything, of course, but I am aware of an organization that might be able to help your uncle.

You might try to contact RIP Medical Debt, which is an organization that was established in 2014 to help selected military veterans to eliminate their medical debt — for pennies on the dollar in some cases.

I feel it's worth a try to contact this group on your uncle's behalf. It was started by a patriotic individual who formerly worked as a debt collector, so he knows how to navigate possible settlements, some even covered by his organization, on behalf of those who may qualify.

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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