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.