DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and dating a guy who works with me. My problem is that he is very possessive. He really gets upset if I decide to go out with friends. Several times he has "checked" on me to make sure I wound up where I said I was going. For Valentine's Day, he got me a cell phone. He said it was for my safety and that he would pay the phone bill. That may be true, but he wants to call me whenever I'm not with him.

All this possessiveness makes me nervous. He has no reason not to trust me, but sometimes I don't think he does. My mother told me to give back the telephone and dump the guy. I sort of like him, but for sure I don't love him. Any advice? — Nameless, Del Rio, Tex.

NAMELESS: Take your mother's good advice. Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, but this guy's behavior indicates he doesn't know how to give it. His controlling actions will only get worse. He probably needs a counselor more than a girlfriend.

WAIT UNTIL YOUR BOYFRIEND CONTACTS YOU

DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend and I have been dating for over three months. He is a great guy, but is super sensitive. Last week, in front of his buddies, I called him "Footsie," a name he hates because he has extra big feet. He told me never to call him that, especially in front of his friends. I did because I thought it would make everyone laugh in a good sort of way. His buddies did laugh, but then they started making fun of him and said things like, "Hi, Big Foot," and "Do you want to play footsie with me?"

I laughed it off, but my boyfriend didn't. He hasn't talked to me since the incident. He also refuses to take my phone calls. I sent him a card and apologized, but he still ignores me. My older sister thinks my boyfriend overreacted and that I should dump him because he is a jerk. What do you think? — Confused,

CONFUSED: I agree with your sister, but I don't believe he is a jerk, and it's not time to dump him. Let's just say that he is a super sensitive guy. The more you apologize, the more he feels sorry for himself. Give him the silent treatment and wait until he contacts you. Trust me, he will.

MAKE SURE DAD READS THIS

DR. WALLACE: My dad is an accountant and works at home. I try to get to bed during the summer before 11:00 p.m. and I'd like to sleep until at least 8:30 to 9:00 in the morning. My dad is what you would call a "slave driver" and wakes one up at 7:00 a.m. sharp. That's when he gets up. When I complain, he calls me lazy and says that humans get ample rest with eight hours of sleep and anything more is a waste. If that's true, why do I feel tired most of the time? — Bobby, Chicago, Ill.

BOBBY: Some teens can operate with eight hours of sleep, but according to Dr. G. Nino-Marcia, director of the Sleep Disorder Clinic at Stanford University, most teens require up to ten hours of sleep per night. The reason is that the majority of teens are still maturing physically and adequate sleep is very important. The reason is that the majority of teens are still maturing physically and adequate sleep is very important. Make sure your dad reads this!

ADDICTED TEEN SMOKERS FAIL TO QUIT

TEENS: You'll never have to kick the habit if you never start. The truth of this old saying was born out in a survey of over 16,000 students nationwide, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly 36 percent of the survey participants who reported trying that first cigarette "just to see what it was all about" wound up becoming addicted to nicotine. And nearly 73 percent of the teens with a smoking habit said they'd tried to quit, but only 14 percent were successful.

This really shows the addictive power of nicotine. Simply put, if you are a nonsmoker, stay that way! When you become an adult, you'll be very happy you were so wise as a youth.

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.