DR. WALLACE: A lot of my guy friends near my age gamble on stocks or have a bookie and regularly bet on sports. Some of them have online betting accounts, and they can make bets right off of their cellphones!

I think it's ridiculous that anyone bets on a game and risks the loss of hard-earned money. Yes, I'm a teen girl, and I do think watching a lot of sports on television is a waste of time, anyway. Why is gambling so popular for teenage boys? They all seem to do it, and they love spending hours talking about it, too. It makes no sense to me, and when I discuss this topic with my girlfriends, they all agree with me. — Befuddled by Gambling, via email

BEFUDDLED BY GAMBLING: Many teens see adults gamble and therefore want to be part of the action. Gambling is seen by many teens as exciting, and with so many avenues of "excitement" closed down recently, this has exacerbated the interest of many in gambling on sports or stocks.

Studies indicate that as much as 30% of U.S. students have gambled for money, and just as you mentioned, the huge majority of those who do gamble are male. Our culture these days has both legalized and normalized gambling in many forms. There are 44 states that have lotteries, making it easy for anyone to gamble even $1 or $2 here and there.

Another factor is the prevalence of smartphones, which have created an unprecedented ease of entry into these activities. In fact, some individuals are taking the recent government stimulus checks and "rolling the bones" with some of those funds. A lot of this has to do with the lack of other activities available to participate in.

When this pandemic finally subsides, the lure of gambling and live entertainment will make Las Vegas, the gambling mecca of the world, quite popular once again. Experts have indicated that there is a huge pent-up demand for travel, and Las Vegas will certainly get its share of tourists. But don't be surprised if the teen boys you know do continue to participate in these gaming activities on their phones once the pandemic ends, albeit at lower frequency and intensity.

WANT TO HELP MY DAUGHTER

DR. WALLACE: My 15-year-old was quite excited to start the school year because she was finally going to be more included within the group of friends that she hung out with. Some of her friends all signed up for the same classes so they could sit next to one another. Well, the pandemic has changed all of that, of course.

Now, with all of the remote learning, her circle of friends is crumbling, and I just don't understand it. All the adults who meet my daughter love her and say she's a sweetheart. But this week now marks the second time my daughter has been involved with a group of girls online and then they have proceeded to shun her.

She needs to return to school in person as soon as possible so she can face them in her class to see how they react one on one. I'm just not sure what to tell her right now, since she gets so heartbroken over all of the teen-girl "online drama" that seems to be prevailing during this pandemic. It sure seems crazy to me that other girls run so hot and cold on such a random basis. Any advice you might have would be helpful. — Teen Girl's Mom, via email

TEEN GIRL'S MOM: School can be difficult, even in person, for teens, and to be not accepted as part of a group can indeed be quite upsetting. Always support your daughter in the most helpful way, and do your utmost to listen and then ask if your daughter wants your help and feedback. Don't jump in and start firing off advice unless she asks you for it.

In a situation like this, it's better to tell your daughter that you are always there for her and you'd be happy to discuss and strategize options if and when she might be interested in doing so. Teen friendships often have ups and downs, and it indeed seems from my experience that the girls do run more hot-and-cold, as you pointed out, than the boys typically do.

If this seems to be an ongoing problem for your daughter, it may be worth seeking out additional support such as a counselor or therapy. Does your daughter have any friends outside of school? If she is involved with other activities with different sets of friends, that should help ease her school anxiety quite a bit. Teens are resilient, and getting your daughter to engage with anyone near her age in a positive way will soon help take her attention off those who are more difficult to deal with.

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: Free-Photos at Pixabay