DR. WALLACE: I'm the parent of a 13-year-old middle school student. I've noticed that with this new school year, the curriculum has ratcheted up a level in terms of difficulty. The homework seems to be much greater than what my child was used to dealing with previously. We are still in the same school district, so I attribute this to simply getting these students ready for high school soon.

I wish to provide my child a balanced upbringing, and I agree that homework is important but at times it feels like it can be overwhelming. What do you think parents can best do to provide a well-rounded menu of life support for middle school students? — Diligent Mother Aiming to Help, via email

DILIGENT MOTHER AIMING TO HELP: I commend you for being a proactive parent and agree with your assessment that the additional and more difficult homework is indeed likely being metered out in the name of high school preparation. And of course, high school preparation is the stepping stone these days to either college preparation or trade school preparation.

There are five areas I feel you should focus on for your young teenager at this point in his or her life. First would be homework support. Be sure your student knows to ask for help if needed so as not to fall behind. Study groups are good with other students; you can be involved yourself in a supporting role, and consider a tutor if needed. Paid tutors abound, but many communities these days have unpaid volunteers who are willing to work with students to help them as needed.

Second, be sure your teen is engaging in outdoor activities, be they playing games, exercising or pursuing a hobby that involves physical activities, such as hiking or playing pick-up basketball games.

Third and fourth, in my opinion, should be character development and leadership opportunities. Spend your proactive time and energy to develop your teen's character and seek out opportunities for your team to lead when appropriate in certain areas. Perhaps mentor a grade school student, as this form of leadership has been proven to pay great dividends to both parties later in life.

Finally, explain the value of healthy eating, healthy snacks and moderation when it comes to treats and high-calorie foods that the teenagers tend to enjoy so much.

WHY AM I SUDDENLY GAINING SO MUCH WEIGHT?

DR. WALLACE: I'm a first-year college student and I'm stunned to find out that I put on quite a bit of weight over the last three months!

I have been eating at all hours and maybe not the best of foods, but I thought that at my age and the energy I'm expending, I would burn everything off pretty quickly. — Quite Surprised, via email

QUITE SURPRISED: Your situation is far more common than you may realize. Over the years, I've seen several studies that indicate that many college students, particularly first-time college students in their freshman year, put on weight between September and May.

As you readily admitted, eating foods that are not as healthy, snacking at odd hours, and perhaps consuming alcohol, which is very high in calories, could all contribute to weight gain.

As you're learning, even young people aren't able to burn off extra calories immediately!

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.

Photo credit: Benoît Deschasaux at Unsplash