DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and currently earn spending money by being a conscientious babysitter. I love little children and I've also taken the Red Cross course for babysitters. I also charge the parents a reasonable amount for taking excellent care of their most "precious possessions." During the day I am taking two summer school classes.
Last night I babysat for a single mother. When her two children (2 and 3) were asleep in their beds, I pulled out my books and I worked on my school studies. I was doing my homework when their mother came home. When she saw me working on my math, she became irritated and told me if I ever babysat for her again, she would prefer that I keep an ion her children even if they were sleeping. I was really surprised because no parent has ever told me not to do my homework after the children were safely tucked in their beds. All I could say was, "Yes, ma'am," but I will never babysit for her again. She is a loser because I am an excellent babysitter. Even though I'm doing my homework, about every 15 minutes I peek in on the children, just to make sure all is well. If I wasn't doing my homework, I'd either be watching television (like most other babysitters) or twiddling my thumbs. I really take pride in doing a good job.
Being a former educator, I believe that you would approve of a sitter doing her homework when the children are asleep, correct? — Serious Sitter, via email
SITTER: You are 100 percent correct, I heartily approve especially because you frequently check in on them while they sleep. Another mother who wrote several years ago when a teen had the identical situation said it better than I could. Read her letter here for even more confirmation of your instincts:
"DR. WALLACE: I'd like to make one last comment regarding babysitters doing homework after the children are put to bed. Parents who do not want sitters to study when all is quiet are foolish. I've employed babysitters who had their boyfriends come over, smoked in the house, snooped through my dresser drawers and talked on the telephone for hours.
I sure wish I had a sitter who wanted to study! - Mother, Peoria, Ill."
MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS GAIN WEIGHT
TEENS: If you are planning to attend college, chances are good that you will gain weight during your first and second years on campus.
A study funded by the federal government found that males gained an average of 5.6 pounds, while females added 3.6 pounds. One out of six first-year students added 10 or more pounds during the first year of college, while 6% gained a whopping 15 or more pounds!
Things get worse the second year. At the end of the sophomore year, males weighed on average 9.5 pounds heavier than when they began college: females added 9.2 pounds. And since males have a much larger body frame, the weight gained by females is surprising.
Doctor say that those students who continue to gain weight during their college years seem to have "learning patterns" of gradual weight gain that could spell trouble way beyond graduation. Students overeat in general, because of the pressure to "ace" that big exam. It's tempting to nibble on chips and other junk food while studying.
Knowing that the trend is to add unwanted pounds when attending college, it is important to snack on healthy foods as much as possible. On all college and university campuses, there are ample facilities to enjoy a regular workout. It takes self-discipline to stay trim, but the sacrifice may be well worth it.
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.
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