What qualities do you have that makes you such a wonderful friend? Maybe it’s because you are a good listener, or maybe it’s because you are loyal. There are many reasons for why we find friendship with certain people, and each of us brings our own talents and characteristics into those relationships that we make.

The trickiest part about a friendship is building one. Have you ever walked into a room and not known anyone else? How did you meet that one person who you ended up forming a close bond with? Making friends can be a scary thing to do, but once you open up and show others who you really are, friendship can be made.

Do you have advice on making friends or on working out friendship issues? Share with us by taking the Friendship Survey!

Hope, 12, Washington camping with her friends Josie and Ella!

Here are some tips that other New Moon girls have given to help with making and keeping relationships with your pals:

• Francesca, 10, California shares how she tries to make friends with everyone, even with those who may not act so nice at  first.
• If you need help with finding things to do with your new friend, Candice, 8, Mississippi has a list of some fun ideas!
• An important lesson to remember is to not exclude others. Nicole, 12, New Hampshire wrote about effects of bullying and how you can make a difference.
• This poem by Breezy, 12, Australia expresses the nature of a true friend.

A friend is someone who will be by your side through your happy days and your days that may not be going so well, but you have to remember that friendship works both ways. If you want to make friends or stay friends with someone for a long time, you too must show them the kindness and respect that you would like to be treated with. Enjoy the many times in your life that you will meet new people, and whether you keep in contact for years or not, every relationship you make is valuable.

“3 best buds at a wedding” – Sophie, 11, Illinois

Whitney
New Moon Intern

New Moon Girls is supporting the #KeepItReal Challenge with Miss Representation, SPARK Summit and many other organizations who empower girls and women. Seeing girls and women photoshopped to unrealistic standards of beauty and “perfection” is unacceptable. Girls Editorial Board member, Ava, shares her feelings about it in her story:

Imagine walking down the street in a city. You look around marveling at all the advertisements, billboards, videos, and pictures of models in the store windows. All of a sudden your wonderful day turns into something less perfect.

 

You look down at yourself and start noticing things. You’re not as skinny as those people- your face isn’t as perfect, you have freckles, your hair isn’t shiny and perfectly brushed, you have a pimple on your chin. You look around again, and see many ads for a particular company. They are in windows, on magazines dropped earlier today on the sidewalk, and on flashing advertisements around you. Then you look in front of you and see – could it really be her? – the celebrity in the photos. The photos and the person don’t look the same, but you are sure it is her! What’s going on? This is an example of the effects photoshopping has on society daily.

 

Photoshopping is something you see a lot of these days in magazines, on billboards, and on TV.  Many people don’t realize that photoshopping is changing the perception of beauty to only include girls with flawless skin, perfect hair, and skinny bodies. In reality no one has all these characteristics naturally, and it makes lots of people feel badly about the way they look.

 

Take magazines for example. Women shown on magazine covers go through many processes to become what we see in the photos. First they are covered in extensive makeup and then their hair is styled into perfection. Are the models’ eyes  too small, ears too big, waist too wide? No problem! After the photos are taken, the professionals manipulate the image by changing shapes, moving features, and creating highlights digitally. These effects can completely change how a person looks, thus creating an impossible example for girls to live up to.

 

When I see photoshopped images it makes me sad to think that girls think they have to live up to these perceptions. Our society is inundated with pictures like this, and they influence a lot of people. Some girls may experience depression or eating disorders because they want to make themselves resemble someone that isn’t even real.

 

Photoshopping has changed the way that people look at themselves, at others, and at the world. Photoshopping has raised the expectations of beauty to an unhealthy level where many girls strive to reach an unrealistic goal of physical perfection.

 

So why do it?

 

-Ava, New Moon Girls Editorial Board Member

We are proud to be a magazine who has NEVER photoshopped! Girls and women are beautiful the way they are.

See what we mean by getting a gift copy of our current magazine from the link on our Facebook page.

Show your support for #KeepItReal from Miss Representation, SPARK Summit, I Am That Girl, and LoveSocial. How will you #KeepItReal and support the movement to encourage magazines to use photos of real girls and women? See how New Moon Girls members are telling magazines to #KeepItReal on NewMoon.com.

Earning and saving money is an important lesson for everyone. Whether you receive an allowance or do not, there are always opportunities for you to find other ways to earn money as well. Summer is a great way to kick-start those money-making ideas, and have fun with it!

Do you walk your neighbor’s dog every week? Do you have a lot of aluminum cans in the recycling bin? There are probably already small things in your day to day life that you can turn into a way to make some extra money!

“This is my brothers and I selling lemonade for NMG.We made fourty-five dollars!” Guinevere, 15, Arizona

Here are a few ideas on how some New Moon Girls have learned to earn money:

• Avani, 13, Colorado gives her tips on dog walking and how to use publicity.
• Depending on your city, Jessi, 12, California says you can collect your bottles and cans and turn them into a recycling dump.
• Lizzie, 12, Colorado likes the idea of a garage sale, and even thought to sell your old issues of New Moon Girls in order to get other girls interested!
• Shania, 12, Pennsylvania thought up hosting a lemonade stand, or substituting lemonade for another drink. It’s a great way to make a little money and would be very appreciated by the neighbors on a hot sunny day!

Once you have brainstormed your choice of work, tried it for a couple weeks or the whole summer, and have earned some money, it is now time to think of what to do with it! Did you have a reward in mind? Or were you planning on saving it?

It is important to think of your options before you spend the money you have earned.

• Save it for a rainy day! You could place some in a piggy bank, or ask your parents about opening a savings account at a bank! Then, you can continue adding extra change you make here and there throughout the school year.
• Donate it! Is there a charity or organization that you feel passionate about? Every little bit helps, and your donation could go a long way to helping others.
• Reward yourself. Is there something that you’ve had your eye on that you can finally afford now? Think about it and decide if this is something worth spending the money you worked so hard to earn on. If you buy something without really thinking about it (sometimes called “impulse shopping”) sometimes you’ll end up regretting it, and wondering why you spent the money you worked nearly 3 months for on something that broke the day you bought it. If you decide on something you really need or want, ask your parents if they’ll take you to buy it – after all, you earned it!
• A little bit of everything! You don’t always have to choose one thing or the other when it comes to deciding what to do with your money. A responsible choice could be to spend a little and save the rest. That way, you get to see the fruits of your labor by treating yourself to an ice cream cone, and also feel good knowing you saved some of your money, too!

“I found an old dress at a garage sale. I took it home and using the sewing machine from my childhood I made it fit perfectly and casually. I hope you like my work i may just like auction it off or put it in a raffle!” Pantalamion, 13, Virginia

Earning money on your own and deciding how to spend it and save it responsibly is an important thing to learn early on. Learning good habits and strategies with your money will help you all the way into adulthood! It can also be a real challenge. So if you plan on earning money this summer, give yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work!

Will you try earning money this summer? What will you do? Let us know in the comments below!

Whitney
New Moon Intern

Dear New Moon Girls Members,

I’m very excited to share our brand new e-magazine with you! You can read it, click on the live links and get even more than in our paper magazine.

It on works on all kinds of computers + iPads and other tablets.

Even without a New Moon Girls membership you can try it out for the next 2 weeks – until June 30.  If you haven’t seen our magazine for a while this is your chance to see how we’ve been changing and improving.

Click here:  http://dmagz.newmoon.com/publication/?i=106980
Special Code to Log-in : 13389-1195-89942

Let us know what you think- and have a great weekend.

Jill Zimmerman Rutledge, author of Dealing With The Stuff That Makes Life Tough and Picture Perfect.

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all looking forward to summer camp, vacations, or just relaxing with friends and family.  It’s so nice to feel the freedom of summer!

One of the best things about summer for many girls is hanging out with friends at the beach or the pool.  Sure, this is fun—but some girls feel self-conscious about how they look in a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt.  I know many girls who feel too fat, or too skinny, or too tall, or too short—the list goes on!  I sincerely hope that you all feel confident about your bodies, but if you don’t, here are some tips for you:

Don’t weigh yourself!  
Your doctor probably weighs you to make sure you’re healthy, so you don’t need to weigh yourself on your own.  And weighing yourself can become an obsession.  I know girls who weigh themselves every day, and who feel bad about themselves if they don’t weigh the “correct” weight.  If you are tempted to weigh yourself, ask yourself this question:  “If the number on the scale is higher or lower than I think it should be, will I feel bad about myself?” If the answer is yes, which it often is, skip the scale!  If you’re concerned about your weight, talk to your mom or your doctor about it.

Eat balanced meals—and don’t cut out treats!  
Experts say that if you eat from all the food groups (meat/beans, dairy, grains like rice or bread, “good” fats like avocado or peanut butter, fruits and veggies)—and have a treat everyday, you will be healthy and happy.  Try to eat not too much and not too little, and your body will be just the right size. If you deny yourself a treat like a cookie or ice cream, you’re more likely to eat too much of it later on!

Get moving!
Exercise has been shown to improve a girl’s body image.  When you are physically active, your endorphins, or “feeling good” brain chemistry, are enhanced.  You may have been active during the school year, but may wonder what to do this summer.  My advice is this:  find something you love to do!  It could be anything–running, bicycling, splashing around in the pool, beach volleyball, or just taking a long walk—there are so many things to do during the summer.  Be active, have fun, and feel good about your body!

Self Care Counts!
Girls should take a little time to pamper their bodies!  Take bubble bath, paint your nails, give your hair a deep conditioning—these are special treats that can help you feel good, which can be a first step in good body image.  Better yet, have friends over for a Pampering Party!

Think of a Special Statement
Special Statements are positive words a girl says to herself to encourage positive thoughts and feelings about her body and herself—sort of like a special motto, or slogan that can counteract negative body image thinking.

I know a girl, Janey, who’s Special Statement is an Egyptian proverb:  “A beautiful thing is never perfect.”  You can make up your own S.S, or find one in song lyrics, quotes, poems, or things you overhear people say.  The sources are limitless!

For more information about Special Statements, see my book, Picture Perfect:  What You Need To Feel Better About Your Body.

Hope these tips help—and hope you all have a great summer!

Sincerely,
Jill