DR. WALLACE: My father has a habit of complaining about the smallest things, and his latest rant landed on me. He said that when I wash my hair and come out of the shower in our upstairs bathroom, I always leave the tiles soaking wet near the sink and bathtub.

I'm a 14-year-old girl and having clean, freshly washed hair is very important to me, especially during the hot summer days when I get so sweaty and sticky after being outside.

My father complains that it's a hazard, but I always just drop a towel down that covers most of the water, so I don't feel it's a big deal. How can I get him to lighten up about things like this? — He's Always Complaining About Something, via email

HE'S ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING: Your father may complain and warn you about a lot of things, but in this instance, he's absolutely right. An often overlooked segment of household safety is bathroom safety.

Preventing slips and falls in a bathroom should be of paramount importance to all family members. Even a slight slip could cause someone to fall and hit their head on the sink or bathtub. This could lead to severe injuries or even death.

Your father may not have the most tactful delivery, but it's important for you to do more than just drop a towel down over most of the water. You should take a few moments to be sure you dry the floor behind you.

And if you really want to impress him, do this regularly from now on, and also look around your house to find some other area where you can take similar preventative safety measures. Once you locate something in this regard, make the safety adjustments and let your father and all family members know about the best way to proceed in that area. Your father will then get the message that you're serious about household safety and that his concerns were not disregarded.

I'D RATHER ASK YOU FIRST

DR. WALLACE: I'm excited because I'm allowed to date for the first time in a few weeks when I turn 16! I've been looking forward to this for the last six months.

I already know the guy I want to go out with, and he's been patiently waiting for me for a little while now.

I'm really nervous about this date even though I know him reasonably well. I know I could ask my parents what I should do on a date or even my older sister, but I'm kind of self-conscious and don't really want to say anything to them yet.

I'll ask you just in case you have any suggestions I may be able to consider. What should I be aware of and what should I do or not on my first date? — Excited To Start Dating, via email.

EXCITED TO START DATING: Good common sense goes a long way in the world of dating, just like it does in regular society. Consider how you normally behave in your classes at school: Be on time, be polite, dress tastefully and ask good questions. This will be a good start.

I suggest that teenagers starting out in the dating world should always introduce their dates to their parents and make it a point to visit your date's parents to say hello to theml. This makes the overall situation much more relaxed for each family and for each teenager going on the date.

Finally, be yourself, talk about safe yet interesting topics and do your best to relax and even laugh when something funny comes up. Laughter is a great relaxing opportunity for each person during a date, no matter what age they are. Remember that your date might be just as nervous as you are, so you're in it together, and there's very often great camaraderie within shared experiences. I hope your first date goes very well and that you enjoy many more excellent dates during your teen years.

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.

Photo credit: Lotus Design N Print at Unsplash