DR. WALLACE: Both my mother and father are admitted alcoholics. They maintain jobs, but almost all of their money is spent on booze. I've tried to get them to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, but they refuse.

I'm 16 and an only child, and I plan to get out of this house the day after I graduate from high school. I can't do much to help my parents, so I've got to get ready to help myself.

My grandmother thinks this is a selfish attitude. She thinks I should stay at home and continue encouraging them to join AA. What do you think? — Nameless, Frederick, Md.

NAMELESS: You don't have to make that decision for a year and a half. Many things can happen between now and then that could impact what you decide to do. I encourage you to attend an Alateen meeting. Alateen is part of the Al-Anon family group and is for teens who have relatives and close friends with alcohol problems. Please call toll-free (1-800-356-9996) for information.

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

DR. WALLACE: I'm 14, and I really need your advice. I'm really in love, but I don't know what to do about it. Last year many of my school friends told me that Jerry liked me. I waited all school year for him to talk with me, but he didn't say one word to me. Once school started again this fall, all of this started over again. Kids came up to me and said that Jerry liked me. One of the kids was Jerry's best friend.

I discussed things with my mom and she told me to be a little assertive and to talk with him and tell him that I heard that he really liked me and that I liked him, too. This seemed like a good idea but it turned out to be a disaster. Yesterday I walked up to him when he was with one of his friends and told him I had heard that he liked me. I was shocked when he told me that I was mistaken and that he didn't even know who I was. But when I glanced down at his notebook, I noticed my name was written all over it.

All I could say was that I was sorry for the mix-up and that it wouldn't happen again. I was so embarrassed that I almost cried, but I didn't. Now what should I do? — Nameless, Cedar Lake, Ind.

NAMELESS: Do nothing for the time being. It sounds like Jerry may like you, but when you came up to him in front of his friend, he was embarrassed and didn't know what to say. Don't shy away from Jerry, but continue to say "hi" to him when you see him at school. If you find him alone, you might strike up a conversation about the basketball game or the talent show or something pertaining to school and impersonal. You can give him your phone number and tell him you'd like him to call you sometime. Maybe when he is more comfortable talking to you he will have the courage to do just that. It might take some time, but I think he will call you.

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.