Teaching Kids: How to Make and Maintain Friendships

When you were a kid or teen, did someone ever teach you what it meant to be a good friend? Bad friend? How friendships come and go? What to do when you feel peer pressure? What about the importance of having all different kinds of friendships? Navigating friendships is complicated because relationships are hard work! It is especially hard for kids because I don’t think there is a lot of explicit instructions other than the typical ‘how to share,’ “how to say please and thank you,’ ‘waiting in line,’ and ‘how to take turns.’ What about the more nuanced social skills like what to say when you feel betrayed, how we show kindness, how to forgive and repair a relationship, how to talk through conflict, and how to walk away from a friendship with respect.