DR. WALLACE: I'm a 16-year-old girl and live with my dad and my 13-year-old brother. Our mother died four years ago. I love my dad very much and I know how difficult it has been for him to be both parents to two active teenagers.

My dad told me that I could start dating when I turned 16, so I started dating this past summer. My boyfriend is captain of the football team, a member of the honor society and an Eagle Scout. He is a great guy and a perfect gentleman, and I really like him.

Last night my dad saw us kissing in his car in front of our house. It was only a quick goodnight kiss, not something passionate like in the movies. When I came inside my father told me he was disappointed in me for making out in my boyfriend's car. I guess it was the "car thing" that concerned him.

I was very upset and started to cry when he said, "I thought I could trust you." It's like he thought I had done something terribly wrong. All Jordan and I have done is hug, kiss goodnight and held hands. That's all.

I think my dad and I need to have a little talk, but I'm not sure what to say. Can you please help me? — Nameless, Houston, Tex.

NAMELESS: It's an excellent idea to have a chat with your father. Start out by telling him that you love him and would never violate the trust he has in you. Spell out your date's good points, emphasizing that he respects your high moral standards and would never be aggressive. Tell your father that you will invite your boyfriend over to your house early for your next date so that he can have a chance to get to know him. The better Dad gets to know him the more he will trust him with the love of his life — you!

And make sure your father reads this column. It will go a long way in convincing him how mature you really are.

I LIKE BOTH GUYS EQUALLY

DR. WALLACE: I know that this is a very unusual situation. I dated Justin for over a year, but we were not going steady. Then about six months ago I met a nice guy named Ryan, and we have been dating semi-regularly ever since.

My problem is that I like both of them very much, and to complicate matters more, both of them say that they love me. This is not "puppy love," because all of us are 18 years old. I feel these guys are competing for me and this makes me very confused and grouchy. Please help. I don't know which one to choose. — Kayla, Baltimore, Md.

KAYLA: Don't choose either one just yet. Keep dating and enjoying the company of both boys. Sooner or later one of them will be a little more desirable than the other. That's the time to make your choice.

But whatever you do, don't be grouchy. A lot of girls reading this column at this very moment would enjoy having an identical "problem."

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.