DR. WALLACE: I'm a girl who is 13 years old, and my best friend is the same age. We've been in school together for the past four years. Her family is really nice, and they recently invited me to go on an evening outing with them to a bowling alley. Their whole family enjoys bowling, and my friend tells me she's a pretty good bowler even though she's only 13. I'm interested in going to give it a try because it sounds like fun, and because I want to spend time with my friend and her family.

But when I asked my parents for permission to do this, my father said that bowling alleys are basically like dingy bars and smoke-filled nightclubs. I asked my friend about this, and she told me that our local bowling alley is clean, and well lit, and that smoking is not even allowed in the building.

I think my mother would let me go bowling with my friend and her family, but my father seems to be digging in his heels against this idea. Is there any way I can get permission to go with them to try bowling at least once? — My Dad Doesn't Like Bowling Alleys, via email

MY DAD DOESN'T LIKE BOWLING ALLEYS: It could be that your father is recalling an experience he had in his youth when a bowling alley he attended was dark, dingy and a bit unsavory. But in today's world, most bowling alleys are clean, bright, fun places for family members and friends of all ages.

You may not be able to get your father to visit your local bowling alley to check it out in person, but you could have the parents of your best friend contact your mother and father to let them know about this particular bowling alley and why they feel it would be appropriate.

Also check to see if the local bowling alley has a website that describes it and maybe provides some excellent pictures of the facility. Involving your friends' parents gives you the best opportunity to get your parents to reconsider their initial reaction to this venue.

I'M NOT TALL ENOUGH TO PLAY WITH MY FRIENDS

DR. WALLACE: I'm a girl, and my best friends at my high school are all taller than I am, and they play on the volleyball team. I would love to be a volleyball player, but I'm afraid I'm not tall enough. I'm a pretty decent athlete, but I'm at least 6 inches shorter than all these other girls.

I'm pretty sure I could try out for our girls softball team at our high school, and I would likely be a starter since I can hit a ball and throw and catch it pretty well. But I would prefer to play a team sport with my friends. Is there anything I could do in terms of diet or nutrition that would help me to grow taller quickly? I feel that if I could add at least 3 inches of height, I may have a chance to try out for the volleyball team. — Not Tall Enough Yet, via email

NOT TALL ENOUGH YET: Your letter mentioned that you're a pretty good athlete and that you feel you would be a starter on a girls softball team at your high school. This tells me you're quite athletic, and there is good news for you regarding volleyball. Not every player needs to be extremely tall, as there are different positions played in this sport. Yes, the girls who play close to the net tend to be tall with long arms and good vertical jumping ability. Height and jumping ability to spike the ball on offense and block spikes on defense is very important in this regard.

But volleyball also has really important positions farther away from the net, particularly the setter. Quickness and athleticism rather than height are important for this position. Therefore, don't worry about trying to grow 3 inches immediately since no matter what type of nutritional diet you may attempt, your body is likely to grow at its own pace, irrespective of any specific diet.

Instead of worrying about your height, ask your friends as many questions as you can about the positions on the back baseline on the volleyball court. You might be able to practice and learn some of the techniques that could potentially make you a valuable addition to your high school team.

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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