Peers & Friends

Research consistently finds that the happiest kids have one or two good friends.

Being part of a large social group can be fun, but it can also be stressful for kids to maintain many relationships, or to belong to social groups where not everyone gets along.

Help kids understand the difference between conflict and bullying. Conflict happens when kids find friction with each other; bullying describes when a power imbalance that makes it impossible for the mistreated child to defend him or herself.

Accept that kids will not always get along with their peers and focus on teaching them to use healthy forms of conflict, such as being respectfully assertive or making a tactical decision to disengage.

Teach your child that bystanders need to respond to bullying. When children witness bullying, they should know to do at least one of the following: reach out to the victim, stand up to the bully, or get help from an adult.