End a friendship or work it out? Podcast Parent Note, Ep. 74
Deciding when a friend has crossed a line.
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End a friendship or work it out? Podcast Parent Note, Ep. 74
In this week’s Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast episode, Aubrey wants to know what to do about a friend who hits her.
Here’s the link to the podcast episode, in case you missed it:
What I love most about the podcast, besides the children’s sweet voices, is how their often simple questions point to very complex issues that we adults still struggle with! Aubrey’s question raises the issue of how to balance self-respect (“I don’t deserve to be treated this way!”) versus compassion for others (“Everyone makes mistakes!”).
Of course it’s not good that Aubrey’s friend hits her! But is it enough to end a friendship?
It’s easy to let our imagination leap ahead, picturing her in an abusive relationship as an adult, saying, “But he said he’s sorry! And anyway, it was my fault for not finishing the laundry.” No! No! No! No! No!
But we’re not dealing with adults. This is a conflict between six-year-olds.
How do we help our kids embrace the important truth that it’s not okay for anyone to hurt them, while also acknowledging the reality that they’re still learning how to manage big feelings and deal with conflicts constructively, and sometimes they and their friends are going to mess up?