DR. WALLACE: I've been dating a guy for over a year. We have good times together, but also some not so good times. Whenever I'm not with him, he always calls me on my cell phone and wants to know what I'm doing and whom I am with. I've got several friends who are guys, but there is no romance between us. We are all just good friends, but if I tell him I'm having a snack with these friends, he gets bent out of shape.

The last time he called, just to avoid any aggravation, I lied and told him I was with my girlfriends. When he asked to talk with one of them I told him that none of them wanted to talk with him and he hung up. The next day he gave me a big lecture about not lying and demanded to know why I felt I had to have male friends.

At this point, I'm tired of not being trusted by him and his constant interrogation. I probably should just stop seeing him, but when things are OK with us I do like him and enjoy being with him. Please give me your advice about what you think I should do. — Nameless, Brunswick, Ga.

NAMELESS: Tell this guy goodbye. He has crossed over the line from taking an interest in your life to attempting to control it. This is completely unacceptable and, in all likelihood, will only get worse. That's the nature of jealousy and possessiveness. If one partner in a relationship shows a lack of respect for the other, the relationship can only fall apart. You need to get on with your life and enjoy time with your other friends

When you tell him the news, don't fall for his "I've changed" sob story and take him back. People with controlling personalities don't change without psychological counseling.

ALL CHILDREN ARE PRECIOUS

DR. WALLACE: Last year our 19-year-old daughter, against our wishes, married a 35-year-old guy who had been divorced twice. Her father and I disapproved and did not attend the wedding and we have not seen her since.

Then she called this week and told us she was getting a divorce because he is abusive. She said she had made a big mistake going against our wishes and that she is sorry she didn't listen to us. She also told us that she wants to come back home.

Now my problem is that my husband really doesn't want her to come back home. He is still ticked off, and I'm still feeling unsure if that would be a wise decision. What do you think would be the best solution to this situation? — Mother, Moncton, N. B.

MOTHER: All children are precious, so welcome your daughter home and shower her with love and affection. She should be praised, not scorned, for wanting to return to the safety of her family. The family should always be one's beacon of light in the stormy sea.

You and your husband should ask yourselves what you would gain by refusing to forgive her. The answer is: absolutely nothing — except the cold satisfaction of being right.

MOTHER NATURE HASN'T TOLD US

DR. WALLACE: I'm always on a diet because when I gain weight it always seems to wind up on my hips. My mom says that extra weight is distributed equally around the body and it's impossible for extra weight to wind up on my hips, but I swear that it does. Could it just be an optical illusion? — Madison, Reno, Nev.

MADISON: It's not an illusion. Females tend to store fat on thighs and hips while males store extra weight on their stomachs. Mother Nature may have a reason for this difference, but, so far, she hasn't told us what it is.

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@thegreatestgift.com. 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.