It can be hard to see your kid upset with their friend or lose a friendship. But most friend drama your kid experiences is a normal part of growing up and can even be an important part of their social development. Most friend drama such as a friend not wanting to play a game or choosing to sit with a different friend at lunch will help your kid learn conflict resolution and social skills. These experiences in your kid’s life will likely be a great learning/teaching opportunity for your kid in learning how to navigate the world. Try stepping to the side when you see child is having difficulty with friends (if your child does not seem to be in danger or being bullied) and see if they can work out the problem on their own.  If your kid turns to you to solve the problem try offering them several suggestions about how to handle the problem before stepping in to solve the problem for them.

Jennifer Wilmoth, LAMFT
JWilmoth@ GROWcounseling.com