It seems that our kids’ advice columnist Bob Cat appeared out of the blue. Here’s his origination story.

I was in the process of developing The Can-Do Karate Kid, my first children’s picture book in the Dojo Kun Character Book series. I knew I would need an author website so people could find my books and learn a bit about me. But what else?

How to Give Back?

My books have the ability to help those who buy them or hear the stories. They can help children especially to find power in their lives. But could my author website also lend help to kids? Even if they don’t buy the books? And if so, how? Was there some way I could use this medium to give back? For days, I turned these questions over in my head as I drew book illustrations.

How to Add Balance?

 Another problem I pondered had to do with balance. At the dojo, we have both a male (my husband) and a female (myself) head instructor. We really balance out each other and our programs. We create a nice yin and yang environment for our students and families.

The Dojo Kun Character Book series includes a boy, Makoto and a girl, Michi. They will both be featured in each book, in varying degrees depending on the story. They will help balance out the yin and yang of the books. They will also give both male and female characters for readers to identify with. But my author website exists because of my own work. Who or what would help me and create more balance?

Why a Kids’ Advice Columnist?

Then I thought it might be nice for kids and teens to be able to anonymously ask for and receive advice online. I was a lonely child. If I had had the internet then, and if I found a good positive, helpful influence such as a trusted kids’ advice columnist, I would have liked that. I highly valued phrases from my elders such as those in this article.

Then Bob Cat came to me. He brings with him decades of dojo experience, the traditional values of the Dojo Kun, and observing and learning from hundreds, perhaps thousands of people of all ages and stages going through many different things in life. Bob is a distant cousin to the good old Dear Abby. And a very good and trusted long-time friend of mine. He was immediately hired on as the kids’ advice columnist on my website.

If you or anyone you know would like to ask Bob’s advice, here’s the proper, easy form to fill out. I highly recommend Bob as a kids’ advice columnist!

-Jenifer Tull-Gauger