DEAR ABBY: I'm 14 and in the eighth grade. Some of my friends have problems with body odor. It makes it hard for me to be around them. They are all nice people, but sometimes I can't breathe when I'm near them.
Some of my other friends say I should tell them, but I'm not sure how without hurting their feelings. The odor ranges from breath to body. Abby, they are known throughout our school for being "the smelly ones." How do I tell them without offending them? -- BREATHLESS IN BEACHWOOD, OHIO
DEAR BREATHLESS: I agree that telling people they have bad breath or body odor can be embarrassing. But to do so is not hurtful; in fact, it is doing the person a huge favor. The way to do it is privately. This is important because your friends are probably not aware that they have a problem or have been causing one.