DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and have, unfortunately (only kidding), a 13-year-old sister who never agrees with me on anything. I want to watch Channel 2, and she wants Channel 7; I want ice cream for dessert, and she wants cake. Whenever we wind up in an argument, my mom takes my sister's side. It always goes like this: "Jordan, you should be ashamed of yourself for fighting with your sister. You are three years older and should have more sense."

This means all that my sister has to do is raise her voice, and she gets her way. Last night was the last straw. A friend and I were watching an Indiana University basketball game. With about 10 minutes to go in a close game, she decided it was her turn to watch television, so she came into the room and turned the channel with the score tied.

Of course, I blew a gasket, and we started arguing. Since my parents were entertaining guests, they immediately came into the room and took my sister's side and made my friend and me go to my room, where we had to listen to the rest of the game on the radio.

I was so mad that I almost swore under my breath. This kind of treatment is getting old. Is it possible to find a solution? —Big Brother, Michigan City, Ind.

BIG BROTHER: There's always a solution, and the first step is to wise up and quit doing what clearly doesn't work — in your case, going head-to-head with your sister in a disagreement and expecting Mom and Dad to take your side. Right now, you're batting zero.

In other words, stop feeling so righteously indignant, and start looking for a way to improve the family dynamics. You're three years older than your sister, and you SHOULD be three years wiser! This means getting a handle on your emotions. Since you never win an argument with Sis, find a way to stop arguing with her.

My suggestion is that you present a "peace proposal" to the rest of the family, which would allow your sister to have her way on all disagreements during the first week and let you have things your way during week two. Continue alternating weeks with no squabbling allowed. This plan, or some variation, is worth a try.

A plan like this will help everyone steer a course through the unavoidable conflicts that occur between adolescent siblings. As the two of you grow older, your differences should diminish as you both learn to negotiate and plan ahead for special programs that are important to each of you.

DON'T USE FRIEND'S BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

DR. WALLACE: No lectures, just answers! I've started a sexual relationship with my boyfriend. It is imperative that I not become pregnant. My boyfriend uses a condom, but the 95 percent effectiveness rate isn't good enough for me.

My girlfriend was on birth control pills, which were prescribed by her doctor. Would it be possible for me to use her pills? She broke up with her boyfriend, so she won't be using them any more. - Nameless, Goshen, Ind.

NAMELESS: No. Birth control pills are not all the same. If you want to get on the pill, make an appointment with your own doctor, who will give you a proper prescription.

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.