DR. WALLACE: My mom and dad are divorced, and my mom and I lived, until recently, in an apartment. My mom said that if all my grades were B's or better, I wouldn't have to do household chores. For the past year, I've kept my grades up, so I didn't have any chores to do. This also gave me more time to do my homework.

Last month, my mother married her boss at work, and we have moved into her new husband's house. He has two daughters. One is my age, and the other is two years older. My stepfather seems nice, and so do my stepsisters. They all have gone out of their way to make me feel at home. Both of my stepsisters have household chores to do.

My stepfather asked me what chores I had when mom and I were in the apartment, and he was surprised when I told him I didn't have any. I told him that my mom and I had an agreement that as long as all my grades were B's or above I wouldn't have to do any chores. Then he said his daughters both were honor students, but they had household chores to do. He said it was up to me to decide if I wanted to continue not doing chores or join in with the other girls and be assigned chores. He told me he would not be upset if I chose not to do chores because he would honor the agreement my mom and I had.

I talked to my mom and she said it was up to me to make that choice. I don't know what to do. Will you help? — Nameless, Modesto, Calif.

NAMELESS: Your stepfather handled this potential conflict with wisdom and kindness, nipping it in the bud. I applaud him for his sensitivity to the agreement you had worked out with your mother.

Now I suggest you embrace the spirit of your new household and take on some chores. I'm positive your grades won't suffer because of the time spent helping out at home. And by pitching in, you'll truly enhance your feeling of belonging in your new family. Believe me, you'll feel much happier helping out and contributing to the common good than separating yourself from your stepsisters, who have embraced you as a sibling. A successful blended family requires cheerful cooperation from all members.

I NOTICE ADULTS DON'T HAVE ACNE

DR. WALLACE: I'm 15 and have a mild case of acne. If I don't seek medical attention, how long can I expect to have a poor complexion? I notice that rarely do adults have acne. — Jacob, Palm Beach, Fla.

JACOB: For most people, complexion problems start and end during the teen years, but according to Dr. James Fulton, founder of the Acne Research Institute, acne can cause problems for some adults until their late 30s. A few people battle acne their entire lives.

You should visit a dermatologist now. You don't have to sit around hoping your acne will disappear. With proper treatment, your acne problem will, in all likelihood, improve dramatically or be eliminated in a short period of time.

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.