DR. WALLACE: My parents are mostly reasonable, but my father has a way of saying sassy words back to me almost reflexively.

Some of his favorite phrases include "That'll be the day" and "Like I believe that." It seems he already has his mind made up to be either dismissive or demeaning, depending upon his mood. My mother is a little bit better, but not great. She also never defends me to my father.

I'm not a perfect teenager, but I'm far from a true problem child, if you understand what I mean. What can I do about this situation? — His Words Are Always Sharp, via email

HIS WORDS ARE ALWAYS SHARP: Before the next time you have to have a tense discussion, or you're asking for something, approach your father during a time of neutrality. Explain that you'd like to have earnest discussions without negative talk.

Commit to him that you'll step up your game and be open, honest and earnest with him in your discussions. From there, hopefully it will give him time to think about it and perhaps he'll make some adjustments. Be patient, because old habits are hard to break and instead of expecting perfection from him immediately, see if you can notice any gradual improvements. If you do see this, don't complain, simply stick with it and see if things continue to go in the right direction.

If you are doing your best and still not experiencing any progress, see if you can bring another adult into this discussion. You might approach a trusted aunt, uncle, grandparent, teacher or counselor who is willing to listen to your situation and consider making constructive contact with your parents.

I ALWAYS LEAVE WISHING I COULD HAVE DONE MORE

DR. WALLACE: I'm a high school student who enjoys doing volunteer work. One of the things I've noticed is that I tend to get emotionally attached to people I assist, whether they be young kids that need help in some form or another, or even elderly people I play music for in retirement homes.

I fully understand I can't change the lives of others by snapping my fingers, and I do value the help and comfort I can bring to others, but I always leave wishing I could do more. How can I handle the feeling of never being able to do enough and feeling slightly melancholy? — Wish I Could Do More, via email

WISH I COULD DO MORE: Congratulations on being of strong character to reach out and help others as you navigate your own life journey.

I recommend that you take some time to think about what you're doing before you go off on your next volunteer shift. Realize that you are positively impacting others around you and that it is not entirely up to you to help everyone with everything in their lives. There are other volunteers, medical and educational personnel and even social workers who also provide help.

So instead of viewing the volunteer work you do as all encompassing, try to look at it from the perspective of a great adventure — both for you, and for those you were helping. Think about it from the perspective of how exciting you and those you help both find the time you spend together. Hopefully, you'll be able to embrace this mindset and find yourself looking forward to every new opportunity, rather than feeling that you're never doing enough.

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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