DR. WALLACE: I'm a 14-year-old girl, and I've never been kissed. It really doesn't bother me, but all of my friends have been kissed. And when they asked me if I'd been kissed, I said no and they laughed and made fun of me. I felt miserable when they did this.
I'm not a prude; it's just that I haven't found a guy whom I like well enough to kiss. I'm waiting for the right guy at the right time. Is this so strange? Is there something wrong with me? — Nameless, Bend, Ore.
NAMELESS: Young lady, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you! Your first kiss will come whenever you feel comfortable enough to give it a try. In the meantime, the next time your friends ask you if you've been kissed, simply give them a little smile and tell them that you don't "kiss and tell." This will give your friends something to think about, and you will enjoy being "mysterious" for a while!
THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT WAS NOT DAMAGED
DR. WALLACE: I invited a guy out on a date, and he accepted. We went to a concert because I had won two tickets in a contest sponsored by one of our local radio stations. After the concert, we went to a restaurant for a late-night snack. When it came time to leave, he picked up the check and started to pay. I told him that since I invited him out, it was up to me to pay the bill. He refused my offer and said he was happy to pay for it, and he did.
The next day my girlfriend told me I had set the women's movement back a year by not insisting that I paid the bill. I would have, but I did not want to cause a scene in the restaurant. What are your thoughts? — April, Rockford, Ill.
APRIL: You offered to pay the bill, which is all that was necessary. Some guys are not used to letting girls pay on a date. Trust me, the women's movement was not damaged.
IT'S NO BIG DEAL
DR. WALLACE: I know my mother loves me, and I love her, but sometimes she can be a pain. I've been dating a guy for over a year now. My mom has met him and likes him. He and I go out almost every Friday and Saturday night. We go places and do things like most normal teens. We see movies, go bowling, go to the mall, go out to eat and stuff like that. We don't use drugs, smoke or drink, and we are not having sex. If we continue to grow as friends, someday this guy could even end up being my husband.
What irritates me so much is that my mother always waits up for me to come home after my dates. She then interrogates me about where we went, what we did, what we ate and then asks if he tried to make a "move" on me. Please give me your thoughts on my mother's behavior. — Eva, Concord, Calif.
EVA: Your mother is trying hard to be a good parent, even if it seems that she's a touch overbearing. What's important is that she likes your guy. Don't sweat the question-and-answer session. In the big picture, it's really no big deal!
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.
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