DR. WALLACE: I'd like to agree with your philosophy about the rewards of earning a college education. I graduated from Indiana University with a degree in theater production and although I am not presently working in my chosen field, I'm very happy to have a college education.

Dr. Wallace, I applaud you for telling a young man that securing a good job is not the prime reason for earning a college degree. I went to college to expand my knowledge and broaden my horizons. The four years I spent at I.U. taught me things about myself, other human beings, and the world — things that I could never have learned anywhere else. My college education has allowed me to explore many more possibilities than I ever imagined.

Teens, if you have the opportunity to attend college — take it. It's the key that opens the door to opportunity. — Marty, Hobart, Ind.

MARTY: Thanks for your excellent analysis of a college education. Our teen readers will benefit from your experience.

I WAITED FOR A HUSBAND IN PRISON

DR. WALLACE: A young lady wrote that her husband was convicted of a crime and was going to spend up to six years behind bars. She said her family and friends were encouraging her to dump the guy and get on with her life. She said she loved him and wanted to wait for him to be released. You agreed that she should wait for him.

This guy put crime before his wife, so he doesn't deserve a woman to stay home and wait. Under those circumstances, she'd have to be foolish to stand by her man. You should have told his wife to dump her loser husband and never look back.

I was in a similar situation. I, too, waited for a husband in prison. He spent three years behind bars. A year after he got out, he returned to prison for the same stupid crime — armed robbery! — Nameless, Las Vegas, Nev.

NAMELESS: If the wife wasn't sure what she wanted to do, I might have encouraged her to dump this guy and to get on with her life. Six years Is a long time to wait. And you're right, there is no guarantee that she'll get a man determined to become a good citizen when he is released. Like you, she could find herself lonely again a year later.

But in this case, the woman was determined to wait for her husband's release. She needed to be encouraged, not chastised.

If the prisoner had been the lady's boyfriend with a six-year sentence, I would have encouraged her to enjoy her life that included the opposite sex. However, being married and willing to wait for her husband's release is honorable and if it turns out that his criminal ways return at that time, she can then dump him legally with the aid of a competent attorney.

SHOULD A BABYSITTER NAP?

DR. WALLACE: Do you think that babysitters should be allowed to nap if the parents are going to be out past midnight? — Ellie, Ames, Iowa.

ELLIE: As long as the children are tucked in and sound asleep, the sitter, when the hour gets late, should be allowed to doze off. Just make sure that all bedroom doors remain open, so you can hear if a child needs attention. After all, parents don't stay awake all night when their children are sleeping.

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.