DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 years old, and just the other day, I saw my mother kiss another man I don't know. I have no idea who he is, where he came from or how my mom met him. What I do know is what I happened to see with my own two eyes.

My parents have been married for over 10 years now, and they seem to be pretty calm, and they get along OK. I'm afraid if I say anything, it could cause a big blowup.

Do I tell my dad what I saw, or do I have a conversation with my mom first to tell her and see how she reacts? I simply can't stop thinking about this, and now it dominates all of my thoughts. Help! — I'm In Shock, via email

I'M IN SHOCK: You should first speak with your mother immediately. Discuss with her what you saw, and ask her what it means. Make sure you have all of your questions prepared in advance, since this may be a touchy conversation that might not be repeated.

Also be prepared to give her space if she needs to think about how she wishes to explain things to you.

Since I don't know any further circumstances about your family and who this is, I can't offer any specific advice except to speak to your mother when your father is not present or in earshot. Adult relationships can get quite complicated at times, and unfortunately, you might be in the center of a complicated situation. At least speaking with your mother will get this off of your chest, and you'll then have to adjust and adapt your actions going forward from there. I do suggest that you maintain your ethics no matter what is said and do not participate in any deceptive behavior, even if you are asked to.

WHY DO I GET ODD LOOKS?

DR. WALLACE: Why do teens look at physical characteristics or clothing and make assumptions about the person inside? I ask because I'm a teen guy who loves to look "alternative," and I wear interesting fashions and hairstyles, but underneath it all, I'm really a regular kid.

My close friends understand and accept me, but strangers almost always give me an odd look and act strangely in front of me. — Not Like Everyone, via email

NOT LIKE EVERYONE: Everyone deserves the right to have his or her own style! I commend you for being fashion-forward in a way that makes you happy and demonstrates your unique personality and character. I agree that underneath the clothing and images various teens project, they all have much more in common than they do not.

The experiences you list here are exactly the reason for the wise old fable, "Don't judge a book by its cover." I also find it interesting that some people will give odd looks to some others on the street, but if the same individual receiving the odd looks were onstage singing or playing a great song in concert, nearly everyone would fawn over them.

Keep being yourself, and do reach out to speak to others when you first meet them. Once they hear the tone of your voice and begin to understand your personality and character, I trust your circle of friends will widen greatly.

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 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.

Photo credit: Foundry at Pixabay