As parents, control feels like protection. It feels like we can prevent our kids' mistakes, soften their pain, and steer them away from decisions that might hurt them. But here's the truth: control protects us, not the relationship. In this episode, we sit down with board-certified child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins to talk about one of the trickiest parts of parenting: helping our kids navigate friendships.

In this episode:

Is it developmentally normal when kids suddenly want to drop a friend?
How to support a child with an anxious attachment style when friendship gets hard.
When (and whether) to get the other kid's parents involved.
What to do when your child is hanging out with kids who don't bring out their best and being honest that our kids aren't always angels either.
How to handle mean girl dynamics if you have a daughter going through it.
Signs that your child may genuinely struggle with making friends, and what you can actually do about it.
Tactics for staying a safe, trusted place your kids will actually come to when friendship gets tough.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow Dr. Willough on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drwilloughjenkins/

Dr. Willough’s Website: https://www.willoughjenkins.com/

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This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.