DR. WALLACE: I was at Walmart with my mom and my older brother. My brother is always teasing me and calling me a goody-two-shoes. He is relentless with his harassment of me. While we were in the store, he kept daring me to steal some gum, so after all of his prodding, I finally did.
Now, I feel really guilty about this. What should I do? I’ve actually felt so guilty about it that I never even opened the pack of gum once I got home. I hid it under my socks in my clothes drawer. — Good girl gone bad, via email
GOOD GIRL GONE BAD: Stealing is wrong in any format, large or small. And deciding to steal simply because you were goaded or harassed with multiple suggestions to do so is also quite wrong.
The good news is that you can correct this situation. Go directly to your mother and tell her exactly what happened. Apologize and tell her that you want to make the situation right. It’s great that the gum is unopened because you may be able to return it or at least have your mother go to the store and pay for it.
From there, it is your mother’s responsibility to ensure that your brother leaves you alone and does not harass you in the manner he has been doing so. It’s good that your conscience is bothering you, listen to that quiet inner voice that is telling you something is wrong that should be made right.
MOM DOES NOT LIKE NEW FRIEND
DR. WALLACE: I invited a new friend home from school today because we needed to study for a test. My mom was home and met my new friend. My mom wasn’t mean to my new friend but she wasn’t exactly all that welcoming either. I think my friend noticed this even though she did not say anything specifically about this.
After my friend left, my mom said she didn’t like my new friend at all, but she didn’t give a reason. Do I have to find a new friend, or must I now avoid her like she’s a stranger when I’m at school next week? — Unsure of where I stand, via email
UNSURE OF WHERE I STAND: This girl is your friend, not your mother’s. I do feel that your mother should give you at least some sort of explanation as to why she feels that way. It’s interesting that she has not forbidden you from seeing this girl again; she simply has made a comment about not liking her. As a teenager, you should be free to develop your own friendships and personal relationships without parental interference, as long as your parents don’t see moral or ethical problems with your friends. Everyone has his or her own style; it may simply be that your mother does not enjoy this girl’s style for some reason.
The bottom line is that you should be friendly to this girl as long as she treats you well and respects the friendship the two of you are developing.
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.