Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8)

By Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, psychologist, focusing on children's feelings, children's friendships, parenting, mental health.Kids & Family Education for Kids

Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8) episodes

March 14 Friend copies her (Jemma, Age 12) | 139
Ep. 139 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Copycat friend | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- What are some reasons why a kid might copy another kid?
- Why do you think kids often feel annoyed when someone copies them?
- What’s the difference between copying someone versus being inspired by someone?
- How is copying someone’s outfit or favorite sports team different from copying someone’s art or writing?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 18 - Building great leadership skills (Kai, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-18-kai
Ep. 31: When someone tries to be annoying (Mila, age 10)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep31-mila
Ep. 30 - Why do some kids push others around? (Michael, Age 10)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-30-michael

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
8 min
March 07 When “joking” is mean, not funny (Seb, Age 11)
Ep. 138 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to respond to mean comments from friends or others | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Think of a time that another kid said something that hurt or upset you. What happened? How did you handle it?
- What are some reasons someone might say something that hurts your feelings without trying to be mean? Why is it important to assume a friend has good intentions?
- Why should your approach to unfunny joking be different depending on whether or not the joker is a friend? (Hint: Why should you only share your feelings with people who care about you?)
- How can telling a friend how you’re feeling improve your friendship?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 136 - How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-long-should-you-keep-a-friend
Ep. 111 - Friend won’t forgive her (Thea, Age 11)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11
Ep. 106 - Friend acts different when others aren’t around (Charlotte, Age 7)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep106-friend-acts-different-when-others-arent-around-charlotte

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
6 min
February 28 Best friend won’t let her have other friends (Antonella, Age 10)
Ep. 137 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Anchor friends | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever had a best friend? How is a close or best friend different from other friends?
- Why do you think someone might not want their friend to have other friends? How might that affect the friendship?
- Why is it a good idea to have more than one friend?
- What are some ways you’ve tried to make new friends?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 13 (re-release) - How to deal with an octopus friend (Mara, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep13-rerelease-how-to-deal-with-an-octopus-friend-mara-age9
Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9
Ep. 67 - Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
6 min
February 21 How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7)
Ep. 136 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Helping friendships last | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Do you have a stuffed animal that you’ve loved for a long time? What’s its name? What does it look like? What makes this stuffed animal special to you?
- How long is the longest friendship you’ve had? How did you meet that friend? What do you do to stay connected to that friendship?
- What is your favorite thing to do with friends? Why?
- What are some ways to show friends that they matter to you?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 133 - Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep133-can-he-be-friends-with-people-who-dont-like-him-john-8
Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9
Ep. 127 - Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep127-friend-wants-space-sloane-age-6

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
5 min
February 14 How to make a new friend (Aida, Age 9)
Ep. 135 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Starting a friendship | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Think of a friend you know. How did your friendship begin?
- If you want to make a new friend, why is it important to choose to reach out to someone who is a good candidate for friendship? What makes someone seem like a good friendship possibility?
- What are some ways that you have shown friends (or potential friends) that you like them?
- Why is it not a good idea to try to buy someone’s friendship by giving them money or your favorite things?
- Why is it important to notice how people respond to your friendly actions? What might it mean if they respond positively? What might it mean if they respond negatively?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep72-nora-age-8-making-friends-new-schl
Ep. 73 - Best friend stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him
Ep. 67: Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
7 min
February 07 Friends do more “mature” things than she does (Evie, Age 10)
Ep. 134 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friends growing up too fast? | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever done something that made another kid not like you? What happened? How did you handle that?
- What would you do if your friend group suddenly started being interested in inappropriate topics or activities?
- Do you think your grown-ups are more strict, less strict, or about the same level of strictness compared to your friends’ parents? Why?
- Why do you think adults try to limit kids’ exposure to “mature” content that is violent or focused on boyfriends and girlfriends?
- What rules do you have to follow about electronic devices? If you were a parent, what rules would you have for your kid? Why?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 123 - How to Keep Friends (Eva, Age 6)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep123-how-to-keep-friends-eva-age-6
Ep. 109 - What does it mean to be yourself? (Charlotte, Age 11)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep109-what-does-it-mean-to-be-true-to-self-charlotte-age11
Ep. 89 - How to deal with an angry person (Noah, Age 7)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep89-noah-age-7-getting-in-trouble

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
7 min
January 31 Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8)
Ep. 133 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Say no to one-way friendships | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever done something that made another kid not like you? What happened? How did you handle that?
- Why do you think kids sometimes want to be friends with kids who don’t like them?
- How could trying to be friends with people who don’t like you end up hurting you?
- We can’t be friends with everyone, but we do need to try to be kind to everyone. What do you think that means you should do (or not do) when you don’t like someone?
- Have you ever met a kid who just didn’t appeal to you? What led to that dislike? Looking back, do you think you were fair, or are there ways you would have liked to handle things differently?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 38 - Wondering how to be popular (Richard, Age 11)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/richard-age-11-wondering-how-to-be-popular
Ep. 21 - Popularity is not the same as friendship (Eugene, Age 13)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-21-eugene
Ep. 20 - Why might a friend not tell you the truth? (Anna, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-20-anna

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
6 min
January 24 Friend won’t talk about problem (Monet, Age 9)
Ep. 132- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Finding the right words in a conflict | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Think of a recent conflict you had with a friend. What happened? How did you deal with it? Is there something you would like to do differently next time?
- What are some reasons why a friend might not want to talk about a problem?
- What does the statement “We can’t force someone to be friends with us” mean?
- Why is saying or implying, “I’m good; you’re bad” not a helpful way to deal with conflict? What could you do instead?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 1 - Friendship ends over small thing (Naomi, Age 7)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-1
Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9
Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
7 min
January 17 They have lots of playdates, and he doesn’t (Matthew, Age 7)
Ep. 131 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Giving versus getting as a friend | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever wished you had more playdates? Who do you think you’d like to invite over? What would you like to do with them?
- How is friendship different from a game?
- Dr. Friendtastic said, “Positive and negative actions don’t have equal impact” on relationships. What does that mean? (Hint: How do kind or unkind actions affect a friendship?)
- Why is a one-on-one get-together a good way to deepen a friendship?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 49 - Feeling different and rejected (Charlotte, Age 8)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/charlotte-age-8-feeling-different
Ep. 70 - Knowing when and how to stop (Owen, Age 8)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep70-owen-age-8-stop-signals
Ep. 77 - Friend is nicer to someone else (Maya, Age 8)
https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep77-maya-age-8-friend-is-nicer-to-someone-else

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
7 min
January 10 Should she quit the team? (Summer, Age 9)
Ep. 130 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Ways to contribute to a team | Friendship advice for kids
Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.
FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f
Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.)
For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/
Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.
Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.
*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Why do you think kids sometimes want to quit a sport or activity if they’re not instantly the best performer on the team?
- What could you say to someone who wants to quit that might convince them to continue an activity?
- When is it a good idea for kids to quit a sport or activity?
- What is the difference between process and performance? They both matter, but which do you think is often most important? Why?
- What can you do now that you weren’t able to do last year? How did you manage to improve your skills?
- What are some ways to contribute to a team, besides scoring in a game?
*** You might also like these podcast episodes:
Ep. 7 – Friend is a poor sport (Emma, Age 11)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep7-poor-sport-friend
Ep. 75: Upset when he loses a game (Alex, age 10)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep75-alex-age-a10-upset-when-he-loses-a-game
Ep. 125 - Not picked to play on the team (Charlie, Age 9)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep125-not-picked-to-play-on-team-charlie-age9

Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe
7 min

About Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8)

From the publisher's feed

Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic is a weekly, 5-min. podcast for children about making and keeping friends. Each episode features an audio recording of a question about friendship from a kid (gr. K-8) plus a…