DR. WALLACE: My husband and I are non-smokers and we encouraged our daughter to also be a non-smoker. She is 15 and a great athlete and we are very proud of her. Megan has three close friends, and recently another girl has become a good friend. We have only seen this girl once, but when she was in our house she reeked of smoke and we thought she must be a smoker.

When we asked Megan about this she told us that the girl and her family all smoked. My husband and I both would prefer that Megan would stop being friends with this girl, but we worry that if we make an issue of this Megan would be offended. We don't want to cause a parent/child conflict. How do you think we should handle this? — Mom, Modesto, Calif.

MOM: Try your best to make the new friendship into something positive. Do not say anything negative about her new friend and make her welcome in your home (she will probably assume that your home is smoke-free.) The better you know her, the better you can evaluate her character.

Occasionally mention to Megan that it would be wonderful if she and her other non-smoking friends could encourage this girl to also become smoke-free.

And do not ever insinuate that the new friend might encourage Megan to try smoking. Remember that she is a super daughter that every parent would enjoy having.

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLDS SHOULD NOT BE DATING

DR. WALLACE: I'm 13 and live with my mother and a younger brother. My parents are divorced, but I see my father every weekend. I have been dating a very nice boy who is 18. He has dropped out of school, but has a job cooking at a fast-food restaurant. My mother likes this boy a lot and approves of him as my boyfriend. We go out every Friday night and my curfew is 10:30 p.m. Most of the time, we see a movie, but once in a while we go bowling. My boyfriend is a good bowler and I'm getting better at knocking the pins down.

My dad is very upset about me dating a guy who is 18. He and my mother argue all the time about this, but my mom has custody of me and my dad can't do anything about it. I really love my dad and he is a good father. I just don't understand why he is so upset that I'm dating a nice 18-year-old boy. I've told my dad that Jeff is a very nice guy and that I couldn't be dating anyone who is nicer. — Nameless, San Angelo, Tex.

NAMELESS: I agree with your father. Your mother is unwise to allow her 13-year-old daughter to be dating an 18-year-old young man regardless of how nice he is. Thirteen-year-olds shouldn't be dating anyone.

IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

DR. WALLACE: I'm 17 and my girlfriend is 16. We have been dating for more than a year. I'm really confused and I hope you can help me. At times, we get along just fine, but those times are few and far between. Usually we fight about small, insignificant things. The confusion in my mind exists because this girl tells me that she loves me, but she never acts like she does.

What should I believe — the way she acts or what she tells me? — Nameless, Goshen, Ind.

NAMELESS: Someone once said, "Actions speak louder than words," and I agree 100 percent. It's time to tell this young lady goodbye and to wish her well.

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. E-mail 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.