DR WALLACE: I'm 16 and have found a new boyfriend. For the past seven weeks we've enjoyed dating each other, and I've had a lot of free time, especially since my two closest girlfriends both went on family vacations out of state for extended periods of time.

They both returned recently. We got together twice within three nights to hang out and catch up.

My new boyfriend is so jealous of the few nights I spent with my girlfriends that he doesn't want me to see them until the new school year starts. He says that I'll see them every day in classrooms at school soon enough.

I really like this guy, but I was pretty surprised that he was telling me not to see my good friends. How can I spend time with them in a way that doesn't upset him? There's no way I can avoid hanging out with my girlfriends, but I don't want to cause friction in my relationship either. — Stuck in the Middle, via email

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE: Any guy that would tell you what to do with your own personal time and who you can and can't see has control issues.

You're lucky that he's revealed this as soon as he has. It's not likely that he's going to have an immediate change of heart, much less a change to his personality.

You'll have to make up your mind as to whether you want to keep dating him, but if you do, don't be surprised when more friction occurs.

It also concerns me that you're asking for suggestions about ways to see your friends that won't upset him. You've had your good friends for a long time, far longer than you've known him, and they and you deserve every opportunity to spend social time together without restrictions from anyone other than your parents.

When a relationship partner starts telling you what you can and can't do and who you can and can't spend time with, that is often a warning sign and should be a dealbreaker. It may take you a while to come around to this realization, but I have faith that you will figure this out on your own, the sooner the better.

I'M PAYING A LOT FOR ONE YEAR-END PRANK

DR WALLACE: The last week of our school year, I pulled a prank that I'm still paying for. A friend of mine dared me to wear a Goth outfit to school during the last few days of classes. Several of my friends challenged each other to wear all kinds of crazy outfits, and about eight of us actually did it as a sort of "senior prank," even though I was a junior (some people were seniors, though).

On the day I wore the Goth outfit, someone's parent stopped by campus and saw me. Since he knew my parents and he noticed what I was wearing, he called them and asked them what was going on with me.

My father left his job and drove to my school, visited the principal's office and came to my classroom where he saw me in what he felt was shocking attire.

I've been grounded for the entire summer for this! My father won't budge on my punishment.

I'm desperately hoping I can get at least a few weeks of social time with my friends before the end of summer. Can you think of a creative way I can ask my father for some leniency? — It Was Just a Joke, via email

IT WAS JUST A JOKE: Your father has grossly overreacted.

First of all, this was done only with a few days left in the school year, and secondly, there were seven other individuals who did similar things. As senior pranks go, it wasn't bad.

Having been grounded for two full months already is more than enough punishment. However, consider yourself now very well educated as to your father's sense of humor. Be sure not to repeat any similar pranks.

In terms of creative ideas, you could handwrite your father a letter. Don't try to explain what you did and why; just write about the lesson you learned and how it won't be repeated.

After he reads it, ask him if you can trade the final three weeks of your grounding during the remaining summertime for being grounded the first full week of each of the first three months of the new school year.

This could potentially be justified on his end by realizing that you've learned your lesson, and that you're not asking simply to have your grounding duration be cut short. You could further explain that you will promptly and fully follow all curfew and family rules to the letter going forward whether or not you're granted this continuance.

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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