Process - Advice Columnist

• Decide on the name of your advice column. It can be as simple as "Ask Katie".

• Based on the topics that your group decided to address, select the questions that you will be responding to from the list below.

• Use the resource links to find answers for the questions. Take written notes on the websites that you visit. You will want to look at sites that provide information about the topic, sites that provide advice, and sites that offer advice from the Bible. Use the Bible links to look up scripture verses that you will use in your answers. You may use any version of the Bible.

• Compose your answers in Microsoft word.

• Consult with your editor for help in research, writing, and editing if needed.

• Work with your editor to set dead lines for research, rough drafts and final drafts. Each day at the group huddle inform the other group members and the editor of your progress.

• If desired, you may consult with the advice columnist from the other groups.

• Your answer should contain evidence that you understand the problem or issue, Biblical references and practical advice for dealing with the problem. Your tone should be kind, sympathetic, and friendly.

• Look for clip art to enhance, not over power your column. (Check the Resource Page.)  When your column is ready for publishing, paste it into Microsoft Publisher.

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Questions for the advice columnists:            

• Relationship with mom- I have a big-time problem here! My mom is always on my case about something. I'll come home from school and she'll immediately tell me to do the dishes. She never makes my younger brother or sister do anything. It's always me doing all the work. Sometimes my mom will have this huge fit because my room isn't perfectly clean or everything's not the way SHE wants it. I am beginning to get really frustrated and I wish my mom would just lay off! What can I do to get through to her? Samantha

• Relationship with dad - My mom and I are really close. I can tell her anything. Well, I used to be able to. But since she got this new job it's been really hard, because she's at work almost all the time. My dad's at home a lot, but he's the problem. I can't talk to him about ANYTHING. I want to, but it's hard! He used to be mean and crabby. He would make jokes about me all the time to his friends, and it hurt my feelings. Now that's not happening anymore. He's trying to talk to me, but I always turn him down now. I feel horrible about it, but still, whenever I do talk to him, he turns around and gets crabby again. How can I patch things up with my dad, and be friends with him? Or at least have a civil conversation with him? Amanda

• Eating disorder - I think my friend is bulimic or something. Because every time we have a party she eats a LOT and goes back for seconds like a million times. Then she goes to the bathroom and throws up. It's freaking me out. She acts like it's nothing unusual and says that she's ok, but I really don't think so. She also has family problems, and I'm worried. I can't change her family, but I wish she'd stop bingeing. I don't know what to do, help! Ashley

• Eating disorder - I think there's something wrong with me, but I'm not sure. I'm becoming OBSESSED with the way I look. I think I look horrible. I think I'm fat and ugly. Everyone tells me I'm not fat, but when I look in the mirror, I feel extremely fat. I'm losing my appetite, and when I'm hungry I try not to eat too much. I feel like when I don't eat, I'm succeeding, I feel like I will be thin. But if I eat, I feel like a failure. My mom thinks I'm losing a lot of weight. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel or what to do. Marissa

• Relationship with teachers - In one of my classes, I have a teacher who is very tricky, and sometimes I think she's not being fair. I'm trying to do well and study as hard as I can. I think I'm doing great, but the teacher doesn't act like she likes me or thinks I do good work. I don't know If I can put up with her the whole year. What can do to get through this? Cassie

• Self-confidence - I am a very quiet person. I don't like confrontations and am embarrassed very easily. I am not exactly in the "popular" crowd at school. Anyone who talks to me likes me because I am a nice person, but I have absolutely no self confidence. Probably if I spoke to these people I could hang around with them, but I'm scared to in case they just laugh at me. All this has to do with me feeling really unattractive. My mom says I'm really pretty but she's my mom so of course she says that.  Thing is when I look in the mirror I see something that's ugly. I want to cry. Deep down I know I'm not totally ugly; it's just the self-confidence thing. I've tried all the things in magazines, etc., but I'm still too shy. Anyone been through this and have any ideas how I can change? Tricia

• Self confidence - I have always been friends with everyone, and everybody liked me in school in the school I attended from Kindergarten until 7^th grade. Now that I have moved to my new school, I cannot make new friends - I am too shy. Deep inside it hurts me, because I see everybody hanging out in his or her groups and having fun and I am the outcast. For example, when we make groups in classes, I am the last one to be picked. When there's a partner-project, I never have anyone to work with. I don't know what's wrong with me I need some advice in making new friends cause I'm freaking out. My self esteem is on the floor and I cry for help in making friends everyday. Sometimes I just wish I wasn't alive at all, because I can't stand seeing myself walking alone in hallways, and end up doing nothing but homework in the weekends. I just wish there was some other girl who felt like me and wanted to hang together or something. Lauren

• Relationships with other girls -  My best friend is starting to hang out with the "cool" people and I never get to see her. Plus she acts like a big shot around me and when I say hi she gives me a dirty look and doesn't say hi back. I think she is trying to make me feel jealous of her, and it works, too! She can be a show-off, conceited and self-centered. I've tried everything, telling her the way I feel, writing her notes, and even e-mailing her! But nothing I do seems to get through to her. She just won't listen. How can I get through to her? Now what do I do? Latasha

• Relationships with other girls - I'm studying in a class where I'm the odd one out. The whole class hates me, the boys and the gals. I have only three friends in the class, who are also hated by everyone. We haven't done anything to them, but they simply hate us. I think it's because we don't want to flirt around like the other girls. The boys hang with those flirty gals. As a result, we are not their friends, so they call us names and bully us. I hate it! I've had enough, but I don't know what to do. I don't like to yell back at them, because whenever I get angry I cry, and I don't want to cry in front of them. I really need some help here! Jennie

• Relationships with other girls - I used to be best friends with this girl. We did everything together. But then, she started completely ignoring me to hang with more popular girls. She never talks to me anymore, and she even quit wearing the friendship necklace I gave her because her new "friends" said it was tacky. I have confronted her about it twice because I thought she was mad at me. She keeps saying that I am still her best friend and that she didn't even realize that she was ignoring me. She still continues to ignore me, and I have decided not to be her friend anymore. But I don't know how to tell her, because she is always glued to the other girls' side. I don't want to call her because it would be like I was afraid to talk to her. Plus, if I did tell her we weren't friends, the popular girls would spread terrible things all over school about me. I have seen it happen to other girls before. What should I do?  Emma

• Boys- There is a boy in my 8^th grade class that I have known forever. I really like him and I think he likes me too. Trouble is, I think he is too shy to make the first move. I wanted to call him at home and invite him to a youth event at my church, but my mom says "NO!"   "Girls should not chase boys!!"  Well, I am NOT chasing him. I just think it would be cool to spend more time with him.  Besides, lots of girls in my class have boyfriends. My parents say that I can't date until I am 16. How can I convince my parents not to be so old fashioned??? Jessie

• Forgiveness - My friend and I like the same guy and we promised each other that we wouldn't fight over him! Lately my friend has been talking about him and saying stuff like "He doesn't like you and I'm not KIDDING!" When I told her she hurt me, she said "sorry", but then she turned around and said more mean things. I try not to get angry about what she says, but she is just getting more weird and mean about us both liking him and hanging out with him! I don't know what to do! I know that I should forgive her, but she hasn't asked to be forgiven and I don't think that she is sorry that she is hurting me. If she was sorry, wouldn't she stop being mean to me? Can you help me? Courtney