DEAR ABBY: I'm a sixth-grade girl with a group of friends I like. The problem is some of them constantly put themselves down. It's annoying to hear, "My hair is so messed up," "I failed that quiz" (they got a B), "My paper is so bad" or "I'm so ugly." None of these things are true.
I know people put themselves down so that others will reassure them that they're fine. But I'm getting tired of hearing these complaints. I have told them to stop acting this way, but it doesn't work. How can I get my friends to stop complaining about themselves so much? -- TIRED OF HEARING IT IN BOULDER, COLO.
DEAR TIRED OF HEARING IT: You can't, so be patient with them because you appear to be more emotionally mature and self-confident than they are. At 12, which I assume most of your friends are, it is not unusual for girls to become sensitive about their changing bodies, and some of their insecurity may be hormonal. That's why they're looking to others for reassurance, so please don't be stingy.