DR. WALLACE: I'm a really good student and I've never been in trouble in my life. I'm 16, I get good grades and I play on two different boys' sports teams at my school.

My current problem is that my parents, especially my mother, don't like two of the friends that I have made this summer. My friends and I like to hang out and do the sorts of things that most teenagers do and I can tell you that none of it is illegal.

Apparently one of these two guys got into some trouble when he was in middle school, and apparently my parents picked up on this information via some other family friends that we know.

This incident happened five or six years ago, and this kid has been well behaved ever since then. I enjoy his company and don't see any reason why my parents should try to block me from hanging out with him this summer. How can I get them to understand this and to back off with all of their grumbling about him? My mom is close to banning me from hanging out with him at all. — I Feel This Is Unfair, via email

I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR: The best way you can address this problem would be to invite a couple of your friends, including this boy, over to your house to hang out with you in full view of your parents.

I also recommend that you go a step further, and by this, I mean make it a point to introduce each of your friends to both of your parents and initiate a five- to 10-minute conversation amongst all of you that you feel would be the most appropriate and conducive to giving everyone a chance to get acquainted.

Your friend deserves to be evaluated by your parents as he is today, not by what they heard he may or may not have done several years ago.

Hit this situation head on and select a conversation topic well, and I trust this will give you — and him — the best opportunity to turn your parents' doubts into a fair current evaluation of him as he is today.

WILL HIS WEED HARM MY BABY?

DR. WALLACE: I'm 20, pregnant, and my boyfriend (the baby's dad) is a great guy, but he does have one habit that concerns me. He smokes pot every single morning before he goes to work. And I mean every single day!

I try to get him to do this out of the house, but he often sparks up in the kitchen, living room or even our bedroom.

Will my baby be affected by this? Other than this problem, my guy is going to be a great father. — Ready to Have My First Soon, via email

READY TO HAVE MY FIRST SOON: Check with your family physician as a first step, but I can definitively tell you that any and all smoke is not good for you or your unborn baby.

No matter the source, toxins emitted via smoke are not healthy. The question is how much of an impact they will make, especially via repeated, ongoing exposure.

I'm glad that you are confident that your guy will grow into becoming a good father, because in my book he's off to a poor start.

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.

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