Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, psychologist, focusing on children's feelings, children's friendships, parenting, mental health.

Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8)

Kids EN ↓ 165 episodes

Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic is a weekly, 5-min. podcast for children about making and keeping friends. Each episode features an audio recording of a question about friendship from a kid (gr. K-8) plus a practical and thought-provoking answer from Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, (aka Dr. Friendtastic,) an author and clinical psychologist based in Princeton, NJ. For transcripts and discussion questions: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast. To submit a question: https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit. For parent resources: https://EileenKennedyMoore.com drfriendtastic.substack.com

Author

Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, psychologist, focusing on children's feelings, children's friendships, parenting, mental health.

Episodes

Handling a controlling friend (Bridget, Age 14) 13.07.2024 5:06

Ep. 65 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: What’s behind a friend wanting to control you? Bridget wonders how to deal with a friend who is being controlling. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an...

Make friends with different interests (Blake, Age 13) 29.06.2024 4:00

Ep. 64 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Building real connections to make friends. Blake wants to know how to make friends with kids who have different interests than he does. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergenc...

Friend wants all her attention (Rosie, Age 5 3/4) 22.06.2024 5:51

Ep. 63 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with being excluded. Rosie wonders why her friend doesn’t want her to play with anyone else, and what she can do about it. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency sit...

All About Forgiveness 15.06.2024 5:24

Ep. 62 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to forgive friends who have hurt us. When a friend says or does something that hurts us, it’s easy to get stuck in self-righteous bitterness and resentment. But for our own sake, as much as theirs, we need to find ways to forgive them and move past those unavoidable friendship rough spots. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featu...

How to fight less with brother (Lucy, Age 6) 08.06.2024 4:55

Ep. 61 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with being excluded. Brothers and sisters can be a lot of fun, but sometimes they’re hard to live with. Lucy wants to know how to fight less with your brother. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychoth...

Friends invited but not him (Henry, Age 8) 01.06.2024 5:56

Ep. 60 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with being excluded. What should Henry do when a kid invites his friends to play but not him? Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an easy-to-read...

Get rid of toxic friends (Jessie, Age 13) 18.05.2024 6:00

Ep. 59 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dumping a friend or working things out by changing the dance. Jessie wants to get out of some painful relationships. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For...

Someone’s about to get hurt! (Kenna, Age 7) 11.05.2024 4:39

Ep. 58 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Safety first Keara wonders what to do to keep a friend safe. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtasti...

Avoiding Conflict (Zen, Age 6) 04.05.2024 6:04

Ep. 57 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: The upside of disagreements. Zen wants to know how to avoid conflicts, but what if conflicts are sometimes helpful? Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) Fo...

Trouble making friends (Diego, Age 11) 27.04.2024 4:32

Ep. 56 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Showing openness to friendship. Diego wants to know what he can do to make friends. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go...

Say no without feeling bad (Blaire, Age 12) 20.04.2024 4:24

Ep. 55 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How saying no can save a friendship. Blaire feels bad about saying no to friends. How can she think about things differently? Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situa...

How to help a friend dealing with hard times (Dimitri, Age 12) 13.04.2024 5:19

Ep. 54 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Showing up for friends the way they want. Dimitri wants to what he can do to support a friend who is dealing with hard times. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situa...

How to stay calm when someone is bragging (Lillian, Age 11) 06.04.2024 5:07

Ep. 53 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Knowing the difference between bragging and sharing good news Bragging is annoying because it carries an implied putdown: “I’m better than you!” Lillian wants to know how to stay calm when someone is bragging. But are they bragging or just sharing good news? Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTIO...

Friend‘s parents don’t like him (Tyler, Age 12) 23.03.2024 5:26

Ep. 52 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with hearsay Tyler wonders how to fix things when his friend’s parents don’t like him. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an easy-to-read TRA...

Mean comment said behind her back (Saoirse, Age 8) 16.03.2024 5:30

Ep. 51 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with hearsay Saoirse wonders what to do when a friend tells her another girl called her weird. Scroll down for discussion questions. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For an easy-to-...

A Common Belief that Blocks Friendship 09.03.2024 5:01

Ep. 50 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Beyond the Magnet Myth of Friendship DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What is the Magnet Myth of Friendship? Why is the Magnet Myth NOT true? - How are friends different from fans? - Why does bragging not help you make friends? (Hint: How are other kids likely to react?) - How might worrying about not being “good enough” get in the way of making friends? - Dr. Friendtas...

Feeling different and rejected (Charlotte, Age 8) 17.02.2024 5:52

Ep. 49 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Feeling Different and Rejected Charlotte wonders what to do when her differences separate her from her peers. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS - We are all different. W...

New friend claims to be best friend (Lily, Age 6) 10.02.2024 4:55

Ep. 48 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Attraction versus closeness Lily wonders how to understand a friend who claims instant intimacy. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - In your own words, how would you de...

Why are friends important? (Brayden, Age 9) 03.02.2024 4:24

Ep. 47 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friends matter. Here's why. We all know friends are important, but Brayden wants to know why. In this week’s episode, I spell out some research findings about the importance of friends and also some ideas about how to be a good friend. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit ....

Wishing for a Best Friend (Anna, Age 9) 27.01.2024 4:58

Ep. 46 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Building closer friendships When they see that other kids paired off with a best friend, and they don’t have one, kids can feel like they’re missing out. Anna wants to know what she can do to get a best friend. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not...

Gets angry at classmates (Reid, Age 5) 20.01.2024 6:12

Ep. 45 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Gets angry at classmates Reid asks about a common problem: getting mad at his peers. Hear what does–and doesn’t–work to manage anger. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For a TRANSCRIPT , go...

Change self to make friends? (Vera, Age 8) 13.01.2024 5:50

Ep. 44 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Being true to our authentic self Vera wants to know if we have to change ourselves to make friends. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// DrFriendtastic.com/submit . (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For a TRANSCRIPT go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podca...

Friend cut her hair! (Beatrix, Age 8) 06.01.2024 5:25

Ep. 43 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Learning to say “No.” Beatrix somehow agreed to let her friend snip a tiny bit of her hair but was shocked when the friend cut a big chunk! How can she protect her hair and the friendship? Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// drfriendtastic.com/submit/ (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it...

How to Be a Good Friend 16.12.2023 6:27

Ep. 42 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to Be a Good Friend. In this year-end wrap-up, Dr. Friendtastic describes 4 areas of friendship that are necessary for becoming a good friend. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// drfriendtastic.com/submit/ (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For a TR...

Friends won’t listen to “stop” or “no” (Tessa, Age 9) 09.12.2023 7:34

Ep. 41 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Understanding and communicating about boundaries. Tessa wonders how to handle things when her friends don’t respect her boundaries. Would YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast? SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https:// drfriendtastic.com/submit/ (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it’s not for emergency situations.) For a TRANSCRIPT go to:...