DR. WALLACE: A good friend of mine just started to date one of my brother's friends. He hangs out a lot at our house with my brother. I know him very well. I also know that he's been in a lot of trouble using and selling drugs. I also happen to know about what else he has done, and let's just say that these are other unsavory things.

So, my question is, should I tell my friend all that I know about this guy, or should I let her find out for herself? If I tell her before she goes out on more dates with him, it could ruin her chances for happiness in this relationship.

But on the other hand, if I don't tell her, I'll feel like I'm taking his side and keeping secrets from her. — Stuck in a Sticky Situation

STUCK IN A STICKY SITUATION: I feel you should tell your friend what you know about this guy, but don't encourage her not to go out with him; it's not your place to go that far. Let her make that decision once she has the information you provide her. After she has all the information, it's up to her to think things over, talk to other people and make her own decision.

Imagine putting yourself in her position. Wouldn't you want to know this information if you were in her position? And furthermore, while you're in the mood to provide information to others, you might encourage your brother to choose a best friend who has higher moral standards.

LITTLE BRO IS TRULY A MONSTER

DR. WALLACE: I'm 13 and have a 9-year-old brother who is absolutely a little monster. On Halloween, he always dresses up like Frankenstein, with a full monster costume, including neck bolts, and I will admit that it suits him well. I only wish that he were a monster only once a year on Halloween. Why? Because it seems the only pleasure he gets out of his silly life is to pester me all day every day and to try to get me into trouble as often as possible.

Yesterday, he came into my room when I was studying, and he started singing. I told him to leave immediately, and he told me to shut up and called me a bad name. I grabbed him and threw him out of my room, and he bounced off the wall. He wasn't hurt, but he went crying to our mom, and she took his side about who was in the wrong.

Now I'm grounded for a month. I feel I was sentenced for a crime I didn't commit. If you agree with my side of this situation, it might help me get a reduced sentence because my parents also read your column. — Tormented Sibling, via email

TORMENTED SIBLING: Your brother might not be a monster, but he surely does sound like a brat. He should have been punished for his use of bad language, but "throwing him against the wall," as you put it, was not the right thing to do — even though his actions provoked you to lose control of your emotions.

Still, a month of being grounded does seem a bit harsh if he was truly not hurt and your altercation was more of a "sibling shove" than literally picking him up off of the ground and violently throwing him into a wall.

If I were the judge, based on what I have read in your letter and assuming it is accurate, I would've given you two weeks to reflect on your aggressiveness. Let's hope, for your sake, that Mom and/or Dad agree and might consider cutting the length of your punishment in half.

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: Free-Photos at Pixabay