Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic

Ep. 83 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to make conflict less frequent and less painful.

Eloise wonders why best friends have bad fights.

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 and webinars 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 big argument with a close friend? What happened?

- What do you think are some common topics friends argue about?

- What does it mean to “assume good intentions”? Why is this an important thing to do in a friendship?

- Why do you think kids sometime have trouble asking friends for what they want or need?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 1 - Naomi, age 7: Friendship ends over small thing https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-1

Ep. 53 - Lillian, age 11: How to stay calm when someone is bragging https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/lillian-age-11-how-to-stay-calm-when

Ep. 73 - J.J., age 11: Best friend suddenly stops playing with him https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him

Ep. 82 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to make new friends and keep the old.

Paa wants to expand her friend group but how can she do that without hurting her best friend?

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 and webinars 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 tried to expand your friend group? What did you do? How did it work?

- Dr. Friendtastic said that the easiest and kindest way Paa could expand her friend group is to invite her current best friend to be part of that goal. Why do you think that might be a good option?

- Why is inviting someone to do something fun with you outside of where you normally see them a good way to deepen a friendship? (Hint: What does that show them about how you feel about them?) 

- What are some ways you could show a friend that they matter to you?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 4 - Thomas, Age 13: One friend feels left out https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-71f Ep. 13 - Mara, Age 9: Friend doesn't want her to have other friends https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-13-mara Ep. 67 - Paul, Age 12: Choosing good friends https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who

Ep. 81 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Knowing when to tell an adult

Nicoletta is worried about what to do when a friend begs her to keep a secret that could harm the friend.

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 and webinars 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:

- Tattling means trying to get someone in trouble. Telling means talking to an adult to prevent someone from being hurt or something from being broken. If Nicoletta decides to tell an adult about her friend’s secret, is that tattling or telling? Why?

- If you were in a situation like Nicoletta’s, who are the trusted adults in your life that you could go to for help?

- Why do kids sometimes NOT want to go to an adult when they’re having a serious problem? (Hint: Why do you imagine Nicoletta’s friend begged her not to tell her secret to anyone?)

- What could Nicoletta say to her friend if the friend gets mad at her for telling?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 1 - Naomi, Age 7: Friendship ends over small thing https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-1

Ep. 6 - Jayden, Age 9: Wondering why kids bully https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep6-why-kids-bully

Ep. 78 - How to confront a friend https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep78-how-to-confront-a-friend

Ep. 80 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with a manipulative friend

Laina wonders how to deal with a manipulative friend. But what does that even mean?

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 and webinars 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 friend who tried to get you to do something you didn’t want to do? What did the friend do? How did you handle it?

- What’s the difference between trying to manipulate someone and trying to influence them?

- Why is it NOT a good idea to tell someone that they’re a bad person? What could you do instead?

- Why is it useful to try to imagine someone else’s perspective, even (or especially) if you’re mad at them?

- Dr. Friendtastic says, “Your friend can’t actually MAKE you do anything you don’t want to do.” What does that mean?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 65 - Bridget, Age 14: Handling a controlling friend https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep65-bridget-age-14

Ep. 10 - Isaac, Age 7.5: Friend is disrespectful https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-10-isaac

Ep. 15 - Evie, Age 9: What is a close friend? https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-15-evie

Ep. 79 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Is your friend a fake friend?

Mar wants to know how to recognize a fake friend.

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 and webinars 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:

- How would you define “being fake”? Why do you think kids sometimes act in ways that don’t match what they really think or feel?

- Why do kids sometimes act differently in different situations or with different people? Why is this NOT the same as being fake?

- Dr. Friendtastic says, “Every friendship, if it lasts long enough, is going to hit a rough spot.” What do you think are some good ways to move past a friendship rough spot?

- Have you ever had an unreliable friend–someone you felt you couldn’t count on? How did you handle this?

- What does it mean to trust a friend? Can you trust a friend who makes a mistake and says or does something unkind? Why or why not?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 24 - Olivia, Age 13: Some friendships have limits https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-24-olivia

Ep. 26 - Sam, Age 13: Joining a new group of friends https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-16-sam

Ep. 34 - Chloe, Age 9: Upset by name-calling https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/chloe-age-9-upset-by-name-calling

Ep. 78 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to confront a friend.

What can you say when a friend does something that upsets you? How do you get your message across without wrecking the friendship?

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 and webinars 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 does it mean to confront a friend about a problem? Have you ever had to do that? What happened?

- How do you decide when to confront a friend about a problem and when to let it go? 

- Why do you think kids are sometimes afraid to confront a friend about a problem?

- Why are refusing to talk to a friend and telling everyone except your friend what your friend did wrong NOT helpful strategies for solving a problem with a friend? What could you do instead?

- Dr. Friendtastic said, “A good confrontation is not about…proving you’re good and they’re bad! It’s about building and repairing a friendship.” What does that mean?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 73 - J.J., Age 11: Best friend suddenly stops playing with him https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him

Ep. 43 - Beatrix, Age 8: Friend cuts her hair! https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/beatrix-age-8-friend-cuts-her-hair

Ep. 65 - Bridget, Age 14: Handling a controlling friend https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep65-bridget-age-14

Ep. 77 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: A friend is not a birthday cake!

Maya wonders what to do when she notices her friend being nicer to someone else than to her. Scroll down for discussion questions.

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 and webinars at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.

Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus online workshop announcements.

*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

- Dr. Friendtastic says, “A friend is not a birthday cake!” What does she mean by that? (Hint: Think about the difference between dividing a cake versus sharing a friend.)

- Have you ever felt jealous of a friend’s other friend? How did you handle that?

- What are some things you do to strengthen your friendships?

- Why does Dr. Friendtastic say, “It’s not smart to have a ‘best friends or nothing’ attitude”? How could that attitude hurt you?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep 71 – Tali, Age 11 Is she a friend or not? https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep71-tali-age-11-is-she-a-friend-or-not

Ep. 4 - Thomas, Age 13: One friend feels left out https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-71f

Ep. 51 – Saoirse, Age 8: Mean comment said behind her back https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/saoirse-age-8-mean-comment-said-behind

Ep. 0 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Trailer

Welcome! Each episode of the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast features an audio recording of a question about friendship from a kid (in grades K-8), plus a practical and thought-provoking answer.

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 easy-to-read TRANSCRIPTS, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/

Like the podcast? Check out my books and webinars at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.

Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email!

SAMPLE EPISODES:

Ep. 44 – Vera, Age 8: Change self to make friends?https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/vera-age-8-change-self-to-make-friends

Ep. 57 – Zen, Age 6: Avoiding Conflicthttps://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep57-zen-age-6-avoiding-conflict

Ep. 55 – Blaire, Age 12: Say no without feeling badhttps://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/blaire-age-12-say-no-without-feeling

Ep. 76 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Not signing up for more of the same

Anaya wonders what to do when friends leave her behind. Scroll down for discussion questions.

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 and webinars at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.

Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus online workshop announcements.

*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

- How do you think Ayana felt when the other kids ditched her? Has anything like that ever happened to you? How did you handle it?

- Dr. Friendtastic says telling on the kids who ditched her probably won’t be helpful for Ayana. Do you agree? Why or why not? How do you decide when it’s a good idea to tell on someone?

- Mistakes and misunderstandings happen in every friendship. How do you decide whether to try to work things out with old friends or look for different friends?

- Dr. Friendtastic says, “We can’t control what other people do; we can only control what we do.” What does this mean in Ayana’s case? (Hint: Can she make the other kids want to play with her?)

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 60 – Henry, Age 8: Friends invited but not him https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-drfriendtastic-ep60-henry-age-8

Ep. 74 – Aubrey, Age 6: Friend hits her https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep74-aubrey-age-6-friend-hits-her

Ep. 69 – Phoebe, Age 6: Friends exclude her https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/phoebe-age-6-friends-get-together

Ep. 75 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Learning to be a good sport

Like a lot of kids, Alex has trouble coping with losing a game.

Scroll down for discussion questions.

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 and webinars at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.

Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus online workshop announcements.

*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

- Why do you think some kids have trouble handling losing a game? (Hint: How does losing make them think or feel?)

- What would you say to comfort a friend who was upset about losing a game

- Adults often tell kids, “It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game.” What do you think that means?

- What are some things kids need to do or not do to be a good sport?

- What is your favorite game to play? What do you like about that game?

*** You might also like these podcast episodes:

Ep. 7 – Emma, Age 11: Friend is a poor sport https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep7-poor-sport-friend

Ep. 53 – Lillian, Age 11: How to stay calm when someone is bragging https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/lillian-age-11-how-to-stay-calm-when

Ep. 66 – Adeline, Age 8: Friends don't invite her https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/adeline-age-8-friends-dont-invite