DR. WALLACE: I'm a single mother of two great kids; my daughter is 13 and my son 9. They both do a decent job at school and for the most part they follow the rules I have laid out for them. Overall, I'm more than satisfied with their efforts and their evolving personalities.

However, I noticed something they have in common besides their differences. Each of them, in their own way, wants recognition and puts effort into being noticed. My daughter constantly tells me how much she wants to create her "spotlight moment," and my son spends all his free time dreaming about becoming a superhero. He tells me he wants to help people who need assistance and wants to become famous for doing that.

I realize these could both be just fads that will eventually fade and disappear over time, but right now they are each unbelievably serious about this in their own ways. When I was growing up, I don't remember constantly craving a spotlight moment, as I was much more focused on enjoying my daily life, hanging out with my friends and meeting a few guys that I was interested in. Why do you feel my children, with no encouragement at all from me, have each independently come up with ways to seek the spotlight in their own lives? — A Happy Yet Curious Mother, via email

A HAPPY YET CURIOUS MOTHER: I chalk it up to the day and age your children live in. You grew up without the prevalence and dominance of social media, a place where everyone seems to seek attention and a spotlight in their own way. The competition for attention seems very important to young, developing minds and this leads to the manifestations you are witnessing with your children.

The bottom line is that this is not only widespread for children of their ages, but the norm here in 2026. I can give you a suggestion for an outing or series of outings that might be useful on multiple levels. You could find some local volunteer activities or work in your area that center on helping others. Invite your children to accompany you and, of course, have them participate fully. Make sure to take some nice pictures that they can share with others later. Not only will this type of activity enrich your local community, but your children might enjoy the 'spotlight' of actually helping others as a nice byproduct of doing some good deeds in their local area.

HIS WALK HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER!

DR. WALLACE: My youngest brother goes to grade school and he has to walk home from his sixth-grade class every day. It's not a tremendous distance, but it does take roughly 18 to 20 minutes. I heard him complaining to our parents the other day that he felt the walk home each day was getting "longer and longer," and it appeared to me he was using this complaining to try to persuade our parents to get him a motorized bike or scooter to shorten his commute.

I found his complaining slightly amusing, because I was thinking to myself how much I would enjoy having 20 minutes free in my schedule every day to just relax, take a walk and be able to think about whatever I wanted to during that time. My own days seem extremely busy and chaotic, and I'm often hustling back and forth from a school activity or meeting with friends, study groups, or my girlfriend.

I kind of wanted to relate this to him, and also to point out that there are many interesting things to look at along the path that he walks, but a voice in the back of my mind told me to not intervene. I can also mention that our parents are definitely not going to be buying him a motorized bike or scooter anytime soon. Should I try to help my younger brother or just stay away from what I trust is a sore subject for him? — Little Brother Dislikes His Walk Home, via email

LITTLE BROTHER DISLIKES HIS WALK HOME: I think that any time you have an idea, an inclination or an urge to try to reach out and help a younger person, one should do so. Of course, not every attempt will bring about the desired results, but some of them surely will make things at least somewhat better or more palatable. And even if the attempt to help is rebuffed, the potential helper can smile, say that's all right, I care about you and was simply trying to help you. I'm available if you ever want to talk about it further.

Having this game plan in advance will give you confidence to speak up in instances such as this because it's truly a no-lose proposition if it's handled and conveyed sincerely. In this case with your brother, you could mention to him the benefits he's receiving by getting some walking exercise, building up his stamina and getting some free time to relax his mind. You could also tell him to be observant as he walks home, to look at the area around him, the homes, the yards, the pets and things that are going on. Then encourage him to tell you what he saw on his walk home each day when you see him in the afternoon. Just knowing that you will engage him and care about him may elicit a paradigm shift within his mind, albeit gradually. It's worth a shot in my opinion, especially since there is virtually little to no downside in putting forth the effort.

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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