DR. WALLACE: I'm 15 and an only child. Ever since I can remember, my parents have disliked each other. They're rarely happy at the same time and always argue, even about the smallest things. Now that I'm dating, they disagree on what a fair curfew would be. They also disagree on a lot of things that I do, such as playing athletic games with my friends.

Last week my father moved out of the house because my parents are getting divorced. This has really shocked me. It caught me off guard. I talked to my mom about the divorce and all she said was, "I should have divorced him years ago."

When I talked with my father, he said that he was sorry for hurting me, that he loves me very much and that I actually kept him from leaving my mother years ago.

Since lately they have been arguing about things concerning me I feel guilty that, because of me, they are going to split up. I feel really terrible. What can I do to get this guilty feeling to disappear? I do love both my mother and my father very much. — Nameless, Moline, Ill.

NAMELESS: Divorce is never, ever, the fault of the children! Please be aware of this as you adjust to the loss of your father's presence at home, and all the other wrenching changes. Mom and Dad simply could not get along, and finally, the family had to break apart. Sometimes that's how it works out.

There's never a good time for divorce; it's always traumatic for everyone in the family. But wounds heal and eventually living arrangements find a new normalcy. Do not take sides as a result of the split. Love both parents equally. They both will need your love and support now more than ever.

When you feel guilty, remind yourself that it's not your fault and know that Mom and Dad both love you and still want the best for you even though they're not under the same roof.

STORY WITH A HAPPY ENDING

DR. WALLACE: I come from a large family. I have four sisters and three brothers and I love them all very much, but I've always been afraid one of them might be seriously injured in an automobile accident.

About a month ago, my married sister was driving with her baby girl strapped into her car seat when a van hit her car head-on. The car was crushed and she was pinned in the wreckage. Luckily some men working in the area heard the crash and rushed to help. They saw the baby and set about getting her out of her car seat. They were able to rip off the sunroof and lift the baby out right away. The Jaws of Life had to be used to get my sister out.

Luckily, her seatbelt was fastened correctly and the baby was safely strapped into her car seat. The two of them had only minor injuries, but they could have been more seriously injured, or even killed!

I decided to write to you so you can relay this story to your young readers and remind them that it's very important to always buckle up when riding in a car and that parents should always secure their young ones in their seatbelts or their car seats. I can tell you from experience that seatbelts work! — Sue, San Francisco, Calif.

SUE: Thanks for sharing your story with a happy ending. I know readers will take your excellent advice and buckle up!

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.