DR. WALLACE: I'm 12 years old and one of a group of six sixth-grade students who are monitors. Our job is to help our students safely cross streets next to our school when school ends for the day. Last week at a school assembly I was selected as the most outstanding monitor and was given a nice framed citation. I was also made Monitor Captain for our next school year.

When I told my parents about my award all my mother said was, "That's nice." And my father only said, "Big deal." I'm proud of my award. What should I do to make my parents be proud of my award instead of making it no big deal? — Ginny, Brooklyn, N.Y.

GINNY: It is a great honor to be selected as the Most Outstanding Monitor at school. Congratulations! Your parents should be very proud of you. Ask your principal to call your parents and let them know the school is proud of you and will need your strong leadership again next year. Far too often, parents aren't fully aware of their child's accomplishments until someone else points them out. Make sure Mom and Dad have a chance to read your letter and my response.

UNLOAD HIM AND DON'T LOOK BACK

DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and so is the guy I'm dating. My problem is that we live next door to each other, which means he can literally spy on me anytime he wants to. He's very jealous and spies on me to make sure I'm not sneaking around on him.

When our telephone rings, for instance, he often hears it and comes over to find out who called. Last week my aunt and cousin came for a visit. When he saw a teen-age guy in my house, he almost had a stroke until he found out he was my cousin.

This guy is good-looking and has a great sense of humor. He is also a very bright student and we have fun when we're on a date, but it might not be worth it. All of my friends and family want me to stop dating him because of his jealousy. My mom thinks we live in a "fishbowl," and she wants it to end.

If I unload him, there will be several girls waiting to whisk him away. What should I do? Good-looking, intelligent guys who possess a great sense of humor are not easy to find. — Brittany, Philadelphia, Penn.

BRITTANY: The jealous streak overpowers all of his good qualities. I agree with your family and friends. Unload him, and don't look back.

I DIDN'T WANT TO SOUND STUPID

DR. WALLACE: The guy I'm about to date is a vegetarian. I can understand the concept — he doesn't eat meat. But when he called yesterday, I said, "I understand that you're a vegetarian." He said, "No, I'm a vegan. All I said was, "Oh, that's nice." I have no idea what a vegan is and I didn't want to sound stupid by asking him to give me the definition. Be so kind as to enlighten me. — Jody, Portland, Ore.

JODY: A vegan is someone who does not consume meat, fowl, dairy products, eggs or other animal products. Many vegans load up on enriched soymilk to supply the necessary vitamins and minerals. If your relationship with the vegan turns serious, you may want to learn more. You can get information on all forms of vegetarianism on the internet.

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.

Photo credit: Dale Cruse