DR. WALLACE: I love cartoons and watch them whenever I can. My mom tells me they're only for little kids and that I'm wasting my life. I'm 14 years old and I turn 15 in August. I fully confess that I enjoy watching them, and I personally don't see any problem with this. Some kids like to watch violent movies, and others play video games for hours and hours every day. Some kids watch Vine and YouTube videos all day.

I simply like to relax and not think about anything when I watch a few cartoons. It's like an escape for me from my busy school schedule and social life.

Do you think I have a problem? Am I really too old to watch them? Am I harming myself or stunting my emotional growth? Please tell it to me straight! — Big Fan of Cartoons, via email

BIG FAN OF CARTOONS: If you get good grades and have an outside social life, I do not see a problem watching a few cartoons here and there to make you happy and help you to relax. Every teen likes to find a way to unwind a bit, and it appears you've found your niche.

But, if your grades and social life are suffering because of your time spent watching cartoons, there is a problem. This also applies to all of the other activities you listed such as movies and video games. A successful teen should seek to balance out school, social and personal time such that he or she can be happy and successful in each.

MOM LIKES MY BROTHER BETTER

DR. WALLACE: My 12-year-old brother is my mom's favorite kid in our family and she is not shy about telling me that! I know I can be difficult to deal with, but I thought mothers were supposed to love all children equally. Is my mom the exception, or am I, since I tend to push my mom's buttons a bit, and this usually makes her mad at me? — The Second Favorite Kid, via email

THE SECOND FAVORITE KID: You are correct in that parents are usually wired to love each child unconditionally and to not play favorites.

You gave a few hints that there's tension with your mother due to your behavior. Why are you difficult to live with? You could decide to show your mother respect and get more of her love in return, if that is your desire. Teens are often surprised when I tell them how much power they actually have. What power? It's the power to decide upon and to control your actions. If you wish for a different outcome, take different actions. You control yourself, your decisions and your actions. Take the time to think carefully through what you want, and then do your best to correlate your actions with those goals. You have the power to do this!

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: makamuki0 at Pixabay