Parents, Support Your Daughter’s Decisions

DR. WALLACE: I recently graduated from high school and was planning on attending Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, but that has been put on hold.

Last week, my nightmare became reality. I found out that I'm pregnant. Needless to say, I've got a lot of decisions to make. First, I will not have an abortion. Next, I will not marry the father-to-be. I'm still searching my mind why I had sex with this guy. He is a loser who will never amount to anything. His only asset is that he is "reasonably" good-looking. He is lazy, a "mooch," smokes pot and has a "potty" mouth.

I have discussed my situation with my parents, and we disagree on everything. They are pushing for me to have an abortion or to just marry this guy. Both of these options are out. Please do me a big favor and put your comments on my situation in your column. My parents agree with your philosophy 99 percent of the time. — Nameless, Davenport, Iowa.

MOM AND DAD: It would be very unwise for your daughter to marry someone she actually despises, regardless of the circumstances. And since having an abortion is not an option for your daughter, you must do your best to support her decision, regardless of what that decision might be. She needs her parents' love and guidance more than ever during this difficult time in her life.

Thank you in advance for agreeing with my thoughts regarding your daughter's situation and the decisions she will be making.

 

LOSE WEIGHT THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY

DR. WALLACE: I'm going to be in my cousin's wedding on Christmas Eve, and I need to lose 15 pounds of baby fat that I have been lugging around for about six months. My best friend suggested that I use diet pills because they are effective. My mom doesn't like that idea because she says they are not good to be taking. How do diet pills work? Are they really dangerous? — Nameless, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

NAMELESS: Simply stated, the diet pill informs the brain you don't need food, so your appetite is suppressed and you don't eat. These pills require a doctor's prescription and could be addictive. Rare is the occasion when a teen should be taking diet pills.

I suggest you lose your "baby fat" the old-fashioned way — by eating properly and exercising regularly. You have plenty of time to lose your excess weight before the wedding.

 

SORRY, BUT I AGREE WITH DAD

DR. WALLACE: I'd like to respond to the letter where the 17-year-old boy was saving for five years to buy a car, but his dad wouldn't let him buy one, and you agreed with the dad. Shame on you!

If I were the boy, I'd pack my bags, buy a bus ticket to my nearest relative's house and take off. This would cause his father to give in, allowing the boy to get his car because his father would miss him. — Logan, Lodi, Calif.

LOGAN: Your little story has a happy ending, but what happens if the nearest relative doesn't want the boy or the father doesn't miss him, or both?

You had better add another chapter to your mystery. I agreed with his dad because the boy had poor school grades and hung around with guys who were using drugs.

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 rwallace@galesburg.net. 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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