DR. WALLACE: I just turned 17 and I still don't have my driver's license. I don't really have the need for a car right now, as all my transportation is covered and I'm not in any rush to get out on the road. Yes, at some point, I'll definitely want to learn how to drive, but I don't feel it's urgent at the moment.

I'm taking heat from some of my friends who seem to be in a tremendous rush to get their driver's licenses and also to start driving themselves. How can I get them to stop teasing me and understand that I'm in no rush, even if they are? — I'll Drive When I'm Ready, via email

I'LL DRIVE WHEN I'M READY: Teenagers tend to make a sport out of teasing each other, so you're probably fighting an uphill battle in that regard. One thing you could do is tell them that if they don't tease you about not driving yet, you won't tease them about what lousy drivers they are so far!

Sometimes, instead of taking teasing from your friends seriously and battling it, simply laugh and tease back in a mild way, chuckle and move on. A little back-and-forth banter among friends sometimes is more than enough to clear the air and reset things.

And if you do catch a ride or two from your friends in the near future, tell them that you'll put that transportation "on your tab" and you'll repay them with excellent driving at a date to be determined in the future!

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR NEEDS HELP

DR. WALLACE: Our next-door neighbor is an older lady who needs assistance from time to time. She tends to feel sick about half the time and she's fairly wobbly.

She came over and asked my parents if either my sister or I could occasionally spend the night at her house to keep an eye on her and help her if needed. She offered to pay us, the way a family would pay a babysitter for the hours put in watching children, but in this situation, it would be the reverse, as she's an older person.

My sister and I are two girls who have always been friendly and helpful to our neighbor, so she knows us as well and is very comfortable with our family, which is why I think she made this request.

I talked it over with my sister and we both agreed we would alternate staying next door with this lady if our parents approved, but that neither one of us wanted any direct payment for the time being. Our parents did end up agreeing that we could do this, but it has been an uphill battle to convince this lady that she doesn't have to pay us specifically for the hours we will be there with her. How can we best convince this lady that we're happy to help her and we don't need any specific daily or weekly payments? — We're Happy to Help Her, via email

WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP HER: Perhaps a good way to explain it to her would be to say that all of your needs are presently met for your current lives, but that down the road in the future, if one or both of you girls go off to college, there may be something she could do at that point that would be very helpful for you. Let her know that all of you don't need to worry about that now, that you can think about that at some point down the road.

This should make your neighbor Lady feel better and will also plant the seed in her mind that she may be able to help you girls down the line in your lives. For now, the two of you can focus on being spectacular neighbors who can compassionately care for her in the present situation on an as-needed basis.

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: Samuele Errico Piccarini at Unsplash