DR. WALLACE: About three months ago, my mother got a legal separation from my father. My mom seemed happy to be done with him and his nonsense. My father has a massive drinking problem, which causes him to be mean to my siblings and me. He's a classic "mean drunk."

When he was living with us, we were a very dysfunctional family. There was always some kind of chaos, yelling, arguing and glasses being broken in the kitchen of our condo. But guess what? Even since he's been out of the house, our lives have finally been calm, steady and normal.

We haven't seen our father since he left, but my mother has had dinner with him several times in the past six weeks. My brothers and I were not too happy that my mom was seeing our dad, but there was nothing we could do but let her know that it might not be a good idea.

Now mom has just announced that her and our dad have "kissed and made up" and he will be moving back home just in time to have Thanksgiving dinner with all of us! Nobody but my mom is happy he is moving back into the house. Let's just say we siblings are quite disappointed with this news. We foresee that dad will drink too much at Thanksgiving and then get hammered on booze again all throughout the holidays and into the New Year. The worst part is, due to COVID-19, his favorite "watering holes" are closed in our city, so he'll be drinking at our family home!

Of course, Mom says that Dad has changed and wants to prove how much he loves us and wants to be a complete family again. She says Dad wants to be a responsible adult and that he will control his drinking now that he has "one last chance" to prove himself. What should my brothers and I do to maintain the comfortable life we have without Dad and all of his drama? — Eldest Sibling, via email

ELDEST SIBLING: It's up to Mom to prove to you and your brothers that Dad really is a changed man. Your mom should set up a meeting with your dad, in which all of you kids can express your concerns and ask questions that would help gauge your dad's sincerity. Certainly, among other things, you should find out what steps he is taken to get his drinking under control.

If your dad has changed, he does deserve a second chance to prove it. But get a commitment from Mom that if Dad goes back to his old ways, he will be asked to leave the family home for good.

A happy family without a father is much better off than a miserable one saddled with a dysfunctional father. Now it's up to your dad, and also to your mom, to be sure that your family home remains civilized, comfortable and safe.

SEEKING TO IMPROVE MY DIET

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 15-year-old boy, and I'm trying to eat healthier. I can get rid of one of my favorite things, either sodas or hot dogs. Which should I pick? My parents say both are really bad for me and that I should work on giving up one right away and maybe the other one over time.

If I do to get rid of one of these from my daily diet, what should I replace it with? — Want To Eat Better, via email

WANT TO EAT BETTER: I'm sure you know that you should get rid of both of these foods, as neither one is good for you! I do give you credit for noticing this and for wanting to make positive improvements to your diet and your overall health.

Hot dogs are full of processed meats and are one of the worst things you can eat. They are high in sodium and saturated fats (not the good kind of fat) and filled with sodium nitrate to preserve the color and flavor. A typical 12-ounce soda contains roughly 10 teaspoons of sugar, which is more than your recommended intake in an entire day. Sodas also have a lot of chemicals, especially diet sodas, which contain artificial sweeteners.

My advice would be to double up and eliminate both from your diet. Replace either with a piece of fruit and your body will thank you. If you must start with only one being eliminated, I'd suggest you stop with the one you consume the most of. For most people, that would be the sodas, but only you know how many hot dogs you consume per week!

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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