Blog
Teaching Kids How to Be a Great Friend and Have Great Friends
“In order to get a friend, you have to be a friend. Be ready to be a friend.”
This insightful quote from Maya Angelou highlights a valuable truism: The first step to having meaningful and rewarding friendships requires becoming a good friend and being friendly to others.
With that in mind, what are the best strategies and tips we can share with our kids to help them be a better friend and enjoy healthier friendships? Here are several that can make a real difference:
Use active list
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Feb 5th 2025
Helping Your Child Deal with Rumors
Your child comes home from school feeling sad, embarrassed,
and angry. After probing, you find out your child has been the victim of untrue
rumors being spread about him. Why is this happening? How can you support your
child through this? How can your child prove something didn’t happen…when it
didn’t happen? There are steps to take when dealing with rumors and gossip.First, find out where the rumors started. Ask your
child if she knows how the rumors started? Does she know the child/ren wh
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Oct 4th 2022
Is Your Child Struggling with Anxiety?
You’ve noticed your
child is upset, but you aren’t sure why? Is schoolwork overwhelming them? Is
there a conflict with a teacher? Are they having trouble with a buddy or in their
friend group?
The first step is simply
to ask your child if something is bothering them. If they can articulate why
they’re upset, you’ll know how to help. But what if they can’t really explain
the changes in their mood and behavior? This could be a sign your child is
dealing with something more serious
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May 12th 2022
Navigating Middle School Friendships: Part 2 - Changing Friendships
The middle school years can be an exciting time. Preteens are becoming more independent and
meeting so many new kids. Unfortunately,
not all changes are exciting. Changes in friendships are common, but so
difficult. Your child will need your support
during this time.
Many middle school students will struggle with their
identity.
Who am I? Who do I want to be? When your child explores her identity, this
will also impact her opinion on the types of kids she wants to spe
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Feb 16th 2022
Navigating Middle School Friendships: Part 1 - Handling Conflicts
The middle school years are arguably the most challenging
time for children, mainly due to friendship struggles. Friendships can change from day to day,
sometimes even from hour to hour. This
can be so confusing and frustrating for preteens who have always relied on
their friends for camaraderie throughout their school day.
When your child feels like his friendships are at risk, it
can make him distracted with worry about his role in the conflict and that he
may end up losing friend
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Feb 8th 2022
Helping Children Deal with Anxiety
If you have noticed an increased level of anxiety in your child, you are not alone. The past two years have been unlike anything we’ve experienced before. There were so many unknowns as we entered the pandemic, which created fear and anxiety. Even now, we continue to learn more about this disease and the vaccines, so this period of uncertainty is not over.
The abrupt change to our routines increased the level of fear in children and their families. Children were asked to stay home and learn
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Sep 1st 2021
You’ve Just Learned Your Child is Being Bullied… What Can You Do?
It’s heartbreaking to learn your child has been the victim of bullying. No matter how you learned this information, be thankful you have it. We sat down with school counselor Jennifer Licate, author of the new easy-read chapter book He’s Not Just Teasing! and the Navigating Friendships book series, for steps parents can follow when they find out their child is being bullied.Q: After the initial shock of finding out your child is being bullied, what do you suggest a parent sho
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Oct 20th 2020