DR. WALLACE: I just enjoyed a great weekend with my family in California. Most of the time I was splashing in the surf in Newport Beach, or lying on the sand and soaking up the sun's rays. I was careful to protect myself from the sun's rays by wearing sunglasses, and I applied plenty of sunscreen because I wanted to get a good suntan.

Well, I did come away with a nice tan, and I didn't get a sunburn anywhere except the one place I forgot about — my lips. Now I have painful blisters on my lips and it has caused limitations for two my favorite pastimes — kissing my boyfriend and eating pizza.

So, now I want to advise my fellow teens who are spending time in the sunshine to protect your lips, too! — Maddy, Tacoma, Wash.

MADDY: Great advice. The lips are very sensitive to the sun's rays and should be protected with a lip balm that contains at least a sun protection factor of 15.

I'm sure your boyfriend also will miss sharing in one of your favorite pastimes!

STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH YOUR DAD

DR. WALLACE: I'm 13 and live with my younger sister and brother and our mother. My parents were divorced a year ago and I was very unhappy that our father moved out of our house because he was a good father and his kids all loved him.

Three months ago, our dad married some woman who works with him. Now every weekend my brother, sister and I spend the weekend with our father and his new wife. She has a 13-year-old daughter who lives with them. The new wife is not nice to my sister and brother and me when we visit our father. She is bossy and loud and never has anything nice to say to us.

I've talked to my dad about this and he told me that, in time, his new wife will learn to accept us as her stepchildren. He also said that if none of us want to visit on the weekends, he will understand. Whenever we're at his house all we ever do is eat, sleep and watch television. And that's all our 13-year-old stepsister does, too.

Do you think we should continue going to dad's house, or should we stop the visits? Our mom said the decision is completely up to us. — Nameless, Oakland, Calif.

NAMELESS: Talk things over with your father. Tell him that your brother, sister and you don't feel comfortable visiting his house, so the regular weekend visits will end. But see if another arrangement can be made. Perhaps making the weekend visits every other week, or even once a month.

A lunch with dad on a Saturday afternoon, rotating your brother and sister and you, might also be an enjoyable option. That way each child can spend some time alone with dad.

But remember that it is important that you and your brother and sister stay in close touch with your father.

YOUR DIET AND EXERCISE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT

DR. WALLACE: What's more important for good health, proper diet or proper exercise? — Angie, Lake Charles, La.

ANGIE: Both a proper diet and plenty of exercise are equally important to maintain good health. However, my "unprofessional" guess is that proper diet is most important.

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. E-mail 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.