DR. WALLACE: Yesterday, I visited my best friend at her house and on her refrigerator she had posted something called the "Twelve Rules of Parenting." She said that her daughter's school counselor gave it to her. I took a copy and I'm sending the rules to you so you can add some of the ideas to the many suggestions you give to the parents who read your column. — Mom, Fresno, Calif.

Here are the "Twelve Rules of Parenting."

1. Hug your children after you discipline them.

2. Don't worry that you can't give your kids the best of everything. Give them YOUR very best!

3. Encourage your children to have a part time job after the age of 16.

4. Teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving.

5. Every day, show your family how much you love them with your words, with your touch and with your thoughtfulness.

6. If tempted to criticize your parents, spouse or children, bite your tongue.

7. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

8. Just to see how it feels, for the next 24 hours refrain from criticizing anyone or anything.

9. Listen to your children.

10. Let your children overhear you saying complimentary things about them to other adults.

11. Work hard to create in your children a good self-image. It's the most important thing you can do to insure their success.

12. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.

MOM: Thanks for sharing. Many parents will also thank you.

I'd like to add another rule for good parenting: Take an interest in your child's education and work positively with the school and teachers to ensure the best possible learning experience for your child.

END THE RELATIONSHIP

DR. WALLACE: Jordan and I have been together as a couple for over four years. Now he wants us to get married and move to Alaska. His brother lives there and has promised Jordan that he could get him a job with the construction company he works for. I think living in Alaska would be exciting and if Jordan didn't have a bothersome flaw my answer would be yes.

Jordan has a very vulgar mouth. Every sentence he utters is laced with vile despicable vocabulary. Is it possible that, in time, after we would be husband and wife, he would learn to speak without being vulgar? Jacob also has poor grammar, but his, "I ain't got no" is more acceptable than his vulgarity. — Nameless, Denver, Colo.

NAMELESS: There's no reason to think that Jordan will ever change his foul-mouth ways. His vocabulary has bothered you for four years. If you married him, you'd be subjected to his vulgarity "until death do you part."

My advice is to end the relationship. True love has no place for vulgarity, which is a sign of great disrespect.

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.