Explore every episode of the podcast Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8)
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friend is sometimes mean and sometimes kind (Riley, Age 8.5) | 167 | 07 Nov 2026 | 00:06:15 | |
Ep. 167 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with an inconsistent friend | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - If a friend is sometimes kind and sometimes mean, would you give more importance to their kind actions or their mean ones? Why? - Sometimes kids act mean because they don’t like someone, but that’s not the only possible reason. What are some other reasons why they might do something mean? - Why does Dr. Friendtastic recommend talking to a friend privately (when it’s just the two of you) when you have a friendship rough spot? (Hint: How could having other people around make it harder to solve things?) - Why is being mean not a good way to deal with a friendship rough spot? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 71 - Is she a friend or not? (Tali, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep71-tali-age-11-is-she-a-friend-or-not Ep. 59 - Get rid of toxic friends? (Jessie, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep59-jessie-age-13 Ep. 160 - Friends punish her?! (River, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep160-friends-punish-her-river-age9 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend puts herself down (Sofia, Age 12) | 166 | 31 Oct 2026 | 00:07:59 | |
Ep. 166 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: True and false humility | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some reasons why kids might say negative things about themselves? - How could it hurt a friendship if someone keeps putting themselves down? - What does “fishing for compliments” mean? Why is it NOT a good idea? - If you were feeling uncertain or unconfident about yourself and wanted some reassurance from a friend, what could you say to ask for that reassurance? - If a friend criticizes themselves, how could you figure out if it’s just temporary upset, a bad habit, or a serious problem? How would you respond to each of these? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 92 - What to say when a friend is feeling down (Mason. Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep92-mason-age-13-what-to-say-when-a-friend-feels-down Ep. 50 - A common belief that blocks friendship https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep50-magnet-myth Ep. 53 - How to stay calm when someone is bragging (Lillian, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/lillian-age-11-how-to-stay-calm-when Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| What scares you? (Katie, Age 8) | 24 Oct 2026 | 00:06:37 | |
Re-release of Ep. 108 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Strategies for facing fears | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at learn.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: – What were you afraid of when you were younger but aren't afraid of now? How did you become unafraid of that? – Think of a time when you felt anxious in a social situation. What thoughts were going through your mind (i.e., what were you afraid might happen)? How did you handle the situation? – Dr. Friendtastic said, "Feeling anxious can lead them to avoid social situations, but that guarantees they're not going to build the friendships they want." How could you explain that in your own words? – There are two main ways to cope with anxiety: Jump right in or go in toe-by-toe. Which do you generally prefer and why? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 95 - Handling embarrassing moments (Sara, Age 7) Ep. 112 - How to Show Openness to Friendship Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8) Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Not picked to play on team (Charlie, Age 9) | 17 Oct 2026 | 00:07:03 | |
Re-release of Ep. 125 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Adding to the fun | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at learn.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: – What are some ways to pick teams that are fair and kind to everyone? – Why is it sometimes hard for kids to be a good sport? – How do you decide who to play with at recess? (Hint: What might make you choose to try to join one group of kids but not another?) – Have you ever "started the fun" at recess? If so, what did you do? If not, what fun game or activity could you try to start with other kids? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 124 - How to Join Kids Playing (Amelia, Age 8) Ep. 98 - How to join a group when not everyone wants you in (Jessica, Age 9) Ep. 7 – Emma, Age 11: Friend is a poor sport Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Best friend doesn’t want to play with her! (Hazel, Age 6.5) | 165 | 10 Oct 2026 | 00:05:41 | |
Ep. 165 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Smoothing over friction in friendship | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What does friction mean? Why is it always part of friendship? - What do you expect from a close friend (versus a stranger)? What could you do if a friend doesn’t meet those expectations? - When (not if) a friend does something you don’t like, why is it NOT helpful to assume that means they are a mean and terrible friend? - Why is it not a good idea to insist that a friend always has to play only with you? (Hint: How might that make the friend feel?) = How could caring about a friend help smooth out friction between the two of you? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 143 - Friend won’d play the game he likes (Akiva, Age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep143-friends-wont-play-the-game-he-likes-akiva-age-5 Ep. 127 - Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep127-friend-wants-space-sloane-age-6 Ep. 5 - Friend doesn’t do what I want (Edith, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-af3 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| What do we owe people who are not our friends? | 164 | 03 Oct 2026 | 00:06:00 | |
Ep. 164 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Avoiding empathy blindspots | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Sometimes kids think they only have to be kind to people they know and like. What could you say to argue against that idea? - What do you expect from a close friend? What do you expect from someone who is not your friend? How and why are these expectations different? - Why would it be unkind to have a party and invite everyone in a group except one person? What could you do instead? - What is an empathy blindspot? - How might being mean to someone end up hurting you? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 154 - Friends say she’s bossy, but they’re bossy (Lola, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/friends-say-shes-bossy-but-theyre Ep. 141 - Can we be friends with anyone? (Michael, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep141-can-we-be-friends-with-anyone-michael-age9 Ep. 71 - Is she a friend or not? (Tali, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep71-tali-age-11-is-she-a-friend-or-not Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Is her friend lying?! (Nova, Age 7) | 163 | 26 Sep 2026 | 00:08:01 | |
Ep. 163 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Why friends lie and what to do about it | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why is it sometimes hard for kids to tell the truth? (Hint: What might they be afraid could happen if they tell the truth?) - What’s the difference between lying and saying something that’s not true? (Hint: What are some examples of statements that are not true but also not a lie?) - How might telling lies hurt a friendship? - Do you think telling a lie can ever be a kind thing to do? Why or why not? - Why is it not a good idea to accuse a friend of being a liar? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 140 - Friend lies and boasts (Martha, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep140-friend-lies-and-boasts-martha-age-9 Ep. 20 - Lying friend (Anna, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-20-anna Ep. 115 - Her lies hurt her friendship (Sofia, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep115-her-lies-hurt-her-friendships-sofia-age8 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to deal with friendship drama (Serena, Age 11) | 162 | 19 Sep 2026 | 00:06:37 | |
Ep. 162 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Prevent conflict from exploding into drama | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What’s the difference between friendship drama versus conflict? - Why do you think some people get involved in more friendship drama than others? - What are some ways to prevent conflict from turning into drama? - Dr. Friendtastic suggests avoiding saying “You always…”, or “You never…” or “You think…” or “You’re just trying to…” Why are these comments unhelpful? (Hint: How would your friend be likely to respond if you said them?) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 91 - Arguments with a friend (Kenna & Scarlett, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep91-kenna-and-scarlett-age-8-arguments-with-a-friend Ep. 155 - Friend is jealous and possessive (Miranda, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep155-friend-is-jealous-and-possessive-miranda-age8 Ep. 59 - Get rid of toxic friends? (Jessie, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep59-jessie-age-13 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| He doesn’t want to be friends with someone (Julian, Age 8) | 161 | 12 Sep 2026 | 00:07:32 | |
Ep. 161 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Is there a kind way to reject someone? | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - How do you decide whether to share your opinion or keep it to yourself? - Have you ever been in a situation where someone wanted to be friends with you, but you weren’t interested in being friends with them? How did you handle it? - Have you ever had someone reject your efforts to be friends with them or just not like you as much as you like them? How did they let you know? How do you wish they’d let you know? How did you respond? - Dr. Friendtastic said, “Everyone has a right to be treated with kindness and respect.” What does that mean you should do with people who are not your friends? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 141 - Can we be friends with anyone? (Michael, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep141-can-we-be-friends-with-anyone-michael-age9 Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9 Ep. 12 - Get rid of toxic friends? (Jessie, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep59-jessie-age-13 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to say no to a friend without feeling bad (Blaire, Age 12) | 05 Sep 2026 | 00:05:38 | |
Re-release of Ep. 55 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Saying no can save a friendship | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Think of a time you had to say no to a friend. What happened? How hard or easy was it for you to say no? How did your friend react? - Why is it important to say no to friends sometimes? How can saying no help a friendship? How can NOT saying no sometimes hurt a friendship? - Why do you think kids are sometimes nervous or uncomfortable about saying no to a friend? - What could you say if a friend is disappointed or annoyed when you say no? - When is it okay to say yes to a friend, even if it’s not exactly what you want? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 154 - Friends say she’s bossy, but they’re bossy (Lola, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/friends-say-shes-bossy-but-theyre Ep. 109 - What does it mean to be yourself? (Charlotte, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep109-what-does-it-mean-to-be-true-to-self-charlotte-age11 Ep. 79 - Sending and receiving Stop Signals (Owen, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep70-owen-age-8-stop-signals Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friends punish her?! (River, Age 9)| 160 | 29 Aug 2026 | 00:06:15 | |
Ep. 160- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Recognizing stop signs | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What message does it send a friend if you ignore that friend’s stop sign? - Why do kids sometimes have trouble responding to stop signs from their friends? - Have you ever asked someone to stop and they didn’t listen? How did you feel? Why do you think they didn’t stop? How did you handle the situation? - Why is it not okay for friends to punish each other? How is punishment different from a logical consequence? (Hint: A logical consequence is the natural result of an action. For instance, if you are mean to a friend, the logical consequence is that the friend won’t want to be around you. If you blab a friend’s secret, the logical consequence is that friend won’t trust you with another secret. ) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 43 - Friend cut her hair! (Beatrix, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/beatrix-age-8-friend-cuts-her-hair Ep. 41 - Friends won't listen to stop or no (Tessa, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/tessa-age-9-boundaries Ep. 3 - Kid tries to wreck game (Noelle, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-4b8 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Losing her best friend! (Ellie, Age 10) | 159 | 22 Aug 2026 | 00:06:22 | |
Ep. 159- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: What to do when a friendship is fading | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some reasons why kids’ friendships sometimes fall apart? - What would you do if you noticed a friend was suddenly acting more distant? - Why do friends sometimes refuse to tell you what’s wrong when there’s a problem between you? (Hint: What might they be afraid of?) - If a friend told you they were mad at you because of something you did, what could you do to make things better between you? What should you avoid doing in that situation? - What do you think it means to show up as your best self? Why is that important? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 151 - Why is it so hard to say, “I’m sorry”? (Minta, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep151-why-is-it-so-hard-to-say-im-sorry-minta-age-almost-10 Ep. 77 - Friend is nicer to someone else (Maya, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep77-maya-age-8-friend-is-nicer-to-someone-else Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| A false story about him! (Erik, Age 7) | 158 | 15 Aug 2026 | 00:07:14 | |
Ep. 158- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Truth, falsehood, and different perspectives | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Students and teachers can have important and deeply caring relationships, but they can’t be friends. Why not? - What is the lesson of the story about three blind men describing an elephant? - How might understanding that different people can have different views about the same situation or event help you deal with a friendship rough spot? - Why do players in a sport agree to go along with what the umpire decides, even if they don’t agree? - Dr. Friendtastic said, “We can’t always win a game, but we can always win the fun.” How do you win the fun while playing with friends? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 75: Upset when he loses a game (Alex, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep75-alex-age-a10-upset-when-he-loses-a-game Ep. 140 - Friend lies and boasts (Martha, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep140-friend-lies-and-boasts-martha-age-9 Ep. 20 - Lying friend (Anna, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-20-anna Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Will she lose her friends in a different classroom? (Lily, Age 11) | 157 | 08 Aug 2026 | 00:05:55 | |
Ep. 157- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Staying connected when you're not together | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever had a friend in a different classroom? What did you do to try to stay connected? Why is it sometimes hard for friends in different classrooms to stay close? - What are some things you do or would like to do with friends outside of school? - Why is it important to ask friends about what’s happening in their lives when you’re not around and tell them about what’s happening in your life when they’re not around? What’s the difference between being nosy and being an interested friend? - What do you think Dr. Friendtastic means when she suggests that Lily try to open-hearted? (Hint: She mentions Lily making other friends, and Lily’s friend making other friends.) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 110 - Being apart from a friend (Matilda, Age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep110-being-apart-from-a-friend-matilda-age5 Ep 120 - Best friend is playing with someone else (Metis, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep120-best-friend-playing-with-someone-else-metis-6-dutch Ep. 136. How long should you keep a friend (Matthew, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-long-should-you-keep-a-friend Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend’s new friend doesn’t like him (Ian, Age 11) | 156 | 01 Aug 2026 | 00:07:44 | |
Ep. 156- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Having another friend isn't a betrayal | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - If you’re having a conflict with someone, do you think your friend has to be on your side, against the other kid? Why or why not? Why might your friend not want to take sides? - Have you ever been in a situation where another kid didn’t like you? Why didn’t they like you? How did you feel about them? How did things end up between you? - Dr. Friendtastic lists a bunch of things that could make the situation worse: Criticizing the friend’s other friend, acting grumpy around the friend, or insisting that the friend has to choose sides. Why are these NOT good options? (Hint: How is the friend likely to react?) - Why does Dr. Friendtastic encourage Ian to try to imagine the other kids’ feelings? (Hint: How might that be helpful for Ian?) Why does she focus on what Ian could do, rather than what the friend should do? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 117 - How to tell if a friend is loyal (Julian, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-to-tell-if-a-friend-is-loyal Ep. 84 - Torn between two friends who don’t like each other (Jennifer, Age 10) Ep. 77 - Friend is nicer to someone else (Maya, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep77-maya-age-8-friend-is-nicer-to-someone-else Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend is jealous and possessive (Miranda, Age 8) | 155 | 25 Jul 2026 | 00:06:26 | |
Ep. 155 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Finding a balance between caring and freedom | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What is your favorite possession and why? Would you feel comfortable letting another kid use or borrow it? Why or why not? - What does Dr. Friendtastic mean when she says we can’t own friends? - Would you continue to be friends with someone who hit you? Why or why not? - Why do you think the friend felt upset when Miranda played with someone else? What could the friend have done to handle the situation better? - Have you ever worried that you might lose a friend to someone else? How did you handle that? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Ep. 121 - Close friend and new friend leave her out (Sara, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep121-close-friend-and-new-friend-leave-her-out-sara-age8 Ep. 17 - Balancing a best friend and another friend (Sophie, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-16-sophie Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friends say she’s bossy, but they’re bossy (Lola, Age 8) | 154 | 18 Jul 2026 | 00:07:33 | |
Ep. 154 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Listen to be heard | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What’s the difference between being bossy and being a leader? What are some not-so-good ways that kids might try to get another kid to do what they want? What could they do instead? Why is an “I” statement easier for people to hear than a “You” accusation? What does it mean to look for agreement rather than control with friends? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 149 Friends aren’t listening to her! (Bella, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep149-friends-arent-listening-to-her-bella-age-10 Ep. 126 - How to have a conversation - for kids https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/replay-ep126-how-to-have-a-conversation-for-kids Ep. 18 - Building great leadership skills (Kai, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-18-kai Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Not invited to the sleepover! (Jim, Age 12) | Ep. 153 | 11 Jul 2026 | 00:08:26 | |
Ep. 153 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Don't give up a good friendship because it's not perfect | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What is the difference between not invited versus excluded? Why does that difference matter? (Hint: Think about the intention of the host.) - What are some non-mean reasons why you might do something with one friend but not another? - Why is it not a good idea to yell at someone for not inviting you? - All-or-nothing thinking means believing something has to be perfect or it’s worthless. Why is this not a useful way to think about friendship? - Dr. Friendtastic said, “What your friends do when you’re not around is not your concern.” What does that mean? Do you agree? Why or why not? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 4 - One friend feels left out (Thomas, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-71f Ep. 51 - Mean comment said behind her back (Saoirse, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/saoirse-age-8-mean-comment-said-behind Ep. 26 - Friendship doesn’t have to be all or nothing (Abigail, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-26-abigail Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to be a good friend | re-release Ep. 42 | 04 Jul 2026 | 00:06:34 | |
Re-release Ep. 42 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: 4 Areas of Friendship | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some ways that you are a good friend? (Hint: what do you do to show your friends you like and care about them?) - Why is it sometimes hard to be a good friend? - Thinking about the different friendship areas Dr. Friendtastic highlighted, fun, support, closeness, and handling conflicts, which do you think is the hardest to do well? Why? - What could you do to try to become an even better friend? (Think about all the areas and questions mentioned in the podcast episode.) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 92 - What to say when a friend is feeling down (Mason. Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep92-mason-age-13-what-to-say-when-a-friend-feels-down Ep 136 - How long should you keep a friend (Matthew, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-long-should-you-keep-a-friend Ep. 124 - How to Join Kids Playing (Amelia, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep124-how-to-join-kids-playing-amelia-age9 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to reconnect with old friends (Georgia, Age 10) | 152 | 27 Jun 2026 | 00:07:23 | |
Ep. 152 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Why reaching out to former friends is scary and also kind | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some reasons why friends might fall out of touch (even if they still live nearby)? - Do you have any old friends you’ve lost touch with? Would you want to reconnect with them? Why or why not? How could you reach out to them? How do you think they’d respond? - How would you respond if an old friend you hadn’t heard from in a while reached out to you? - To expand your friendship circle, you could make new friends or reach out to old friends you haven’t connected with in a while. Which do you think is easier? Why? - Why do you think kids are sometimes reluctant to reach out to old friends? What could you say to a friend to encourage them to reach out to their former friends? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 82 - Expand friend group without hurting best friend (Paa, Age 12) Ep. 71 - Is she a friend or not? (Tali, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep71-tali-age-11-is-she-a-friend-or-not Ep. 67 - Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Why is it so hard to say “I’m sorry”? (Minta, Age almost 10) | 151 | 20 Jun 2026 | 00:05:52 | |
Ep. 151 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: An apology is an expression of caring | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Is it hard or easy for you to apologize? Why? Why do you think kids sometimes struggle to apologize? - Think of a time when you apologized to someone. How did you feel? How did that person respond? - Think of a time when you wanted someone to apologize to you. What happened? Did they apologize? How did you feel? - Why does Dr. Friendtastic suggest, “The person who is least wrong should apologize first”? - Sometimes people say, “An apology isn’t good enough!” What do you think they might be looking for beyond the words “I’m sorry”? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 111 - Friend won’t forgive her (Thea, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11 Ep. 91 - Arguments with a friend (Kenna & Scarlett, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep91-kenna-and-scarlett-age-8-arguments-with-a-friend Ep. 14 - Feeling guilty, wanting to make up with a friend (Rowan, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-14-rowan Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Celebrating 150 episodes!!! | 13 Jun 2026 | 00:07:45 | |
Ep. 150 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Puzzlers about conflict | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What do you think would happen if you put 150 penguins on two school buses? - Why is it a good idea to try to be friendly with your friend’s other friends? - What does it mean to “assume good intent”? How can this help a friendship? - Why is it important to help your friends understand what you think, feel, or need? - Which is easier for you to move past, when you make a mistake with a friend or when a friend makes a mistake with you? Why? Why is it important to be able to move past both types of mistakes? (Hint: How could it hurt a friendship if you hold onto either resentment or guilt?) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 33 - Richard, Age 11: Best ways to show empathy https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-33-richard Ep. 86 - Sally, Age 14: How to know if you can trust a friend? https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep86-sally-age-14-how-to-know-if-you-can-trust-a-friend Ep. 100 - Celebrating Episode 100!!! https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep100-celebrating Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friends aren’t listening to her! (Bella, Age 10) | Ep. 149 | 06 Jun 2026 | 00:07:13 | |
Ep. 149 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to make yourself heard | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever felt like a friend wasn’t hearing you? How did you handle it? - Why is listening an important part of friendship? - What does Dr. Friendtastic mean when she says, “The lounder you yell, the harder it is for people to hear you”? - What is a Yes-No argument? Why do you think kids sometimes get stuck in those? What could they do instead? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 97 - How and why to understand a friend’s feelings (Zoya, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep97-how-and-why-to-understand-a-friends Ep. 78 - How to confront a friend https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep78-how-to-confront-a-friend Ep. 18 - Building great leadership skills (Kai, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-18-kai Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Understanding a friend’s feelings (Anna, Age 7) | Ep. 148 | 30 May 2026 | 00:07:42 | |
Ep. 148 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: 7 clues to figure out how a friend feels | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why is it important to try to understand how a friend is feeling? - What are the seven clues that can tell us how someone is feeling? - Think about a time when someone didn’t understand how you were feeling. How did you handle that situation? - Some people are better than others at communicating about their feelings. Think of the people you know. Whose feelings are easiest to understand? Whose are hardest to guess? Why? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 102 - How to express your feelings with friends (Aida, Age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep102-how-to-express-your-feelings-with-friends Ep. 97 - How and why to understand a friend’s feelings (Zoya, Age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep97-how-and-why-to-understand-a-friends Ep. 33 - Best ways to show empathy (Richard, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-33-richard Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Avoiding conflict with friends (Zen, Age 6) | re-release Ep. 57 | 23 May 2026 | 00:06:04 | |
Re-release Ep. 57 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: The upside of disagreements | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Describe a conflict you had with a friend. What happened? What was your friend’s point of view and what was yours? How did the conflict affect your friendship? - Dr. Friendtastic says that conflict can be a way for friends to learn about each other. What does that mean? - When might it be a good idea to give in and do what your friend wants, even though it isn’t exactly what you want? When is it NOT a good idea to do this? - Why is it important to try to understand what a friend is thinking or feeling? (Hint: What could happen if we just insist on what we want?) - What are some things you can do or not do to make conflicts with a friend less painful? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Ep. 103 - Friend butt into conflict with other friend (Grace, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep103-friends-butt-into-conflict-with-other-friend Ep. 132 - Friend won’t talk about problem (Monet, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep132-friend-wont-talk-about-problem-monet-age-9 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Teased because of his looks! (Milo, Age 9) | 147 | 16 May 2026 | 00:08:01 | |
Ep. 147 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendly versus unfriendly teasing | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Do you have a nickname? If so, who calls you that, and how do you feel about it? If not, would you like a nickname? Why or why not? - Have you ever been teased in a way you found hurtful? What happened? How did you handle it? - What are some reasons a good friend might accidentally say something hurtful? - How might you handle things differently if a hurtful name or comment came from a friend versus someone who is not a friend? - Dr. Friendtastic says you should only criticize someone’s appearance if it’s something they can quickly fix, and you can mention it privately. Why are these important guidelines? (Hint: How are people likely to feel if they can’t easily fix whatever it is, or if other people hear your negative comments?) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 95 - Handling embarrassing moments (Sara, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep95-handling-embarrassing-moments-sara-age-7 Ep. 29 - Dealing with teasing (Abby, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-29-abby Ep. 25 - Moving past us-versus-them thinking (Bryson, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-25-bryson Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| She took something that didn’t belong to her (River, Age 9) | 146 | 09 May 2026 | 00:06:38 | |
Ep. 146 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Moving past guilt | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why do you think kids sometimes take things that don’t belong to them? Why is stealing not a good idea? - Describe a time when you were tempted to do something you knew was wrong but didn’t. How did you resist the temptation? - What does “make amends” mean? Why is it a good thing to do in relationships? What could you do to make amends if you accidentally broke a friend’s toy? - Dr. Friendtastic says, “Situational control is always easier than self-control.” What does that mean? How could you set up your situation to make sure you get dressed quickly in the morning? How could you set up your situation to make sure you do your work instead of getting distracted at school? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 117 - How to tell if a friend is loyal (Julian, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-to-tell-if-a-friend-is-loyal Ep. 111 - Friend won’t forgive her (Thea, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11 Ep. 1 – Naomi, Age 7: Friendship ends over small thing https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-1 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| He doesn’t like one kid in the group (Joe, Age 9) | 145 | 02 May 2026 | 00:06:46 | |
Ep. 145 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: He doesn’t like one kid in the group (Joe, Age 9) | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever had to get along with someone you don’t particularly like? How did you handle that? - How can disliking someone (and telling people you don’t like that person!) hurt your friendships with other kids? - Dr. Friendtastic said that staying away from a group because you don’t like one person “would be giving this one kid a lot of power to influence who you play with and what you do.” What does this mean? - Why is trying to kick someone out of a group an unkind thing to do? - Why might flooding someone you don’t like with kindness be a useful strategy? (Hint: How are they likely to respond?) When would this strategy not be a good idea? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 138 - When joking is mean, not funny (Seb, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep138-when-joking-is-mean-not-funny-seb-age11 Ep. 12 - Kid bullies him at recess (Adrian, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-12-adrian Ep. 3 - Kid tries to wreck game (Noelle, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-4b8 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to join a group (Addison, Age 9 1/2) | 144 | 25 Apr 2026 | 00:06:45 | |
Ep. 144 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: You don't have to stay on the outside looking in | Friendship advice for kids FREE guide for parents: 12 ways to help your child make friends https://drfriendtastic.com/gift/ Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some reasons why it’s sometimes hard to join a group of kids? - Why is it important to match the emotional tone of a conversation if you want to join a group? - What do you look for when you decide whether to try to join a group? - Do you think you are open to having kids join you if you are hanging out with friends at school or at an activity? What could you do to make another kid feel welcome? - Do you always have to include people who want to join your group? Why or why not? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 112 - How to Show Openness to Friendship https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep112-how-to-show-openness-to-friendship Ep. 85 - Fitting in versus being true to yourself (Nev, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep85-nev-age-11-fitting-in-versus-being-true-to-yourself Ep. 98 - How to join a group when not everyone wants you in (Jessica, Age 9) Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friends won't play the game he likes (Akiva, Age 5 3/4) | 143 | 18 Apr 2026 | 00:07:37 | |
Ep. 143 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Being flexible with friends | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - When a person is flexible, it means they can adjust to new, unexpected, or unwanted situations. What is an example of someone being flexible with friends? What is an example of someone being rigid with friends? - How do these two styles (flexible or rigid) affect friendships? - Does being flexible mean you never get to do what you want? Why or why not? - Why is it hard to be flexible when we’re upset? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 5 - Friend doesn’t do what I want (Edith, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-af3 Ep. 18 - Building great leadership skills (Kai, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-18-kai Ep. 28 - Dealing with spill-over anger (Avni, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-28-avni Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Best friend replaces her! (Alice, Age 6) | 142 | 11 Apr 2026 | 00:05:40 | |
Ep. 142 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Being friendly vs. being friends | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - If you could be any age, what age would you choose to be and why? - Have you ever moved or had a friend move away from you? What happened? - Do you think it’s fair that Alice’s best friend found a new best friend after Alice moved away? Why or why not? - What would you do if you found out that you and your family had to move far away from where you live now? How would you try to stay in touch with old friends? How would you make new friends? - How is life (and friendship) like a leaf, floating downstream? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep72-nora-age-8-making-friends-new-schl Ep. 117 - How to tell if a friend is loyal (Julian, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-to-tell-if-a-friend-is-loyal Ep. 62: All About Forgiveness https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep62-all-about-forgiveness Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to Have a Conversation - for Kids | 04 Apr 2026 | 00:06:27 | |
REPLAY of Ep. 126 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Talking and Listening with Friends | Friendship advice for kids No one is born knowing how to have a good conversation! In this episode, I share five practical tips to help kids chat more comfortably with others. 🎁 My gift to you — 3 free mini-guides for parents: https://eileenkennedymoore.com/free-mini-guides/ Online workshops for kids: workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. 🎙️ Would YOUR KID like to be on the podcast? Submit a question at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Not psychotherapy or for emergencies.) Easy-to-read transcript: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books: https://EileenKennedyMoore.com Never miss an episode! https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why do you think kids sometimes feel nervous about talking with other people? (Hint: What might they be afraid of?) - Who do you enjoy chatting with? Why? (Hint: What do they do that makes your conversation enjoyable?) - How could you answer the question “How are you?” using the “Great!”-plus-one-fact formula? (Reminder: The “one fact” should create a picture in the listener's mind.) Why might this be a useful formula for conversations? - Dr. Friendtastic says, “focus on being interested more than interesting.” What does that mean? Why might it be a helpful approach to conversations? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep72-nora-age-8-making-friends-new-schl Ep. 70 - Knowing when and how to stop (Owen, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep70-owen-age-8-stop-signals Ep. 92 - What to say when a friend is feeling down (Mason, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep92-mason-age-13-what-to-say-when-a-friend-feels-down Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Can we be friends with anyone? (Michael, Age 9) | 141 | 28 Mar 2026 | 00:05:46 | |
Ep. 141 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Being friendly vs. being friends | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What is the difference between being friendly and being friends? - Why is it generally a good idea to be friendly with people even if they are not your friends? - What are some reasons why two kids might not want to be friends with each other? - Dr. Friendtastic said, “Friendship is not all-or-nothing.” What does that mean? (Hint: What are some different kinds of friends you have?) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 133 - Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep133-can-he-be-friends-with-people-who-dont-like-him-john-8 Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9 Ep. 122 - Excluded because he’s a boy (Calvin, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep122-excluded-because-hes-a-boy-calvin Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend lies and boasts (Martha, Age 9) | 140 | 21 Mar 2026 | 00:06:29 | |
Ep. 140 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: When a friend tries to seem better than she is | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are three truths and a lie about you? (Also explain which statement is not true and why.) - Would you like to have a Flemish Giant rabbit for a pet? Why or why not? (Look up a picture of them if you’re not sure.) - What are some reasons why kids might lie? Why does Dr. Friendtastic think Martha’s friend might be lying? - How might lying to impress friends backfire? (Hint: How will friends feel if they find out they’ve been tricked?) - When someone says something that’s not true, how can you tell if they’re lying, playing, or just mistaken? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 53 - How to stay calm when someone is bragging (Lillian, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/lillian-age-11-how-to-stay-calm-when Ep. 20 - Lying friend (Anna, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-20-anna Ep. 115 - Her lies hurt her friendship (Sofia, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep115-her-lies-hurt-her-friendships-sofia-age8 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend copies her (Jemma, Age 12) | 139 | 14 Mar 2026 | 00:07:17 | |
Ep. 139 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Copycat friend | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some reasons why a kid might copy another kid? - Why do you think kids often feel annoyed when someone copies them? - What’s the difference between copying someone versus being inspired by someone? - How is copying someone’s outfit or favorite sports team different from copying someone’s art or writing? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 18 - Building great leadership skills (Kai, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-18-kai Ep. 31: When someone tries to be annoying (Mila, age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep31-mila Ep. 30 - Why do some kids push others around? (Michael, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-30-michael Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| When “joking” is mean, not funny (Seb, Age 11) | 07 Mar 2026 | 00:05:58 | |
Ep. 138 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to respond to mean comments from friends or others | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Think of a time that another kid said something that hurt or upset you. What happened? How did you handle it? - What are some reasons someone might say something that hurts your feelings without trying to be mean? Why is it important to assume a friend has good intentions? - Why should your approach to unfunny joking be different depending on whether or not the joker is a friend? (Hint: Why should you only share your feelings with people who care about you?) - How can telling a friend how you’re feeling improve your friendship? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 136 - How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/how-long-should-you-keep-a-friend Ep. 111 - Friend won’t forgive her (Thea, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11 Ep. 106 - Friend acts different when others aren’t around (Charlotte, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep106-friend-acts-different-when-others-arent-around-charlotte Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Best friend won’t let her have other friends (Antonella, Age 10) | 28 Feb 2026 | 00:05:47 | |
Ep. 137 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Anchor friends | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever had a best friend? How is a close or best friend different from other friends? - Why do you think someone might not want their friend to have other friends? How might that affect the friendship? - Why is it a good idea to have more than one friend? - What are some ways you’ve tried to make new friends? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 13 (re-release) - How to deal with an octopus friend (Mara, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep13-rerelease-how-to-deal-with-an-octopus-friend-mara-age9 Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9 Ep. 67 - Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7) | 21 Feb 2026 | 00:04:35 | |
Ep. 136 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Helping friendships last | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Do you have a stuffed animal that you’ve loved for a long time? What’s its name? What does it look like? What makes this stuffed animal special to you? - How long is the longest friendship you’ve had? How did you meet that friend? What do you do to stay connected to that friendship? - What is your favorite thing to do with friends? Why? - What are some ways to show friends that they matter to you? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 133 - Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep133-can-he-be-friends-with-people-who-dont-like-him-john-8 Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9 Ep. 127 - Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep127-friend-wants-space-sloane-age-6 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to make a new friend (Aida, Age 9) | 14 Feb 2026 | 00:06:07 | |
Ep. 135 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Starting a friendship | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Think of a friend you know. How did your friendship begin? - If you want to make a new friend, why is it important to choose to reach out to someone who is a good candidate for friendship? What makes someone seem like a good friendship possibility? - What are some ways that you have shown friends (or potential friends) that you like them? - Why is it not a good idea to try to buy someone’s friendship by giving them money or your favorite things? - Why is it important to notice how people respond to your friendly actions? What might it mean if they respond positively? What might it mean if they respond negatively? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep72-nora-age-8-making-friends-new-schl Ep. 73 - Best friend stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Ep. 67: Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friends do more “mature” things than she does (Evie, Age 10) | 07 Feb 2026 | 00:06:46 | |
Ep. 134 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friends growing up too fast? | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever done something that made another kid not like you? What happened? How did you handle that? - What would you do if your friend group suddenly started being interested in inappropriate topics or activities? - Do you think your grown-ups are more strict, less strict, or about the same level of strictness compared to your friends’ parents? Why? - Why do you think adults try to limit kids’ exposure to “mature” content that is violent or focused on boyfriends and girlfriends? - What rules do you have to follow about electronic devices? If you were a parent, what rules would you have for your kid? Why? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 123 - How to Keep Friends (Eva, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep123-how-to-keep-friends-eva-age-6 Ep. 109 - What does it mean to be yourself? (Charlotte, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep109-what-does-it-mean-to-be-true-to-self-charlotte-age11 Ep. 89 - How to deal with an angry person (Noah, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep89-noah-age-7-getting-in-trouble Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8) | 31 Jan 2026 | 00:05:20 | |
Ep. 133 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Say no to one-way friendships | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever done something that made another kid not like you? What happened? How did you handle that? - Why do you think kids sometimes want to be friends with kids who don’t like them? - How could trying to be friends with people who don’t like you end up hurting you? - We can’t be friends with everyone, but we do need to try to be kind to everyone. What do you think that means you should do (or not do) when you don’t like someone? - Have you ever met a kid who just didn’t appeal to you? What led to that dislike? Looking back, do you think you were fair, or are there ways you would have liked to handle things differently? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 38 - Wondering how to be popular (Richard, Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/richard-age-11-wondering-how-to-be-popular Ep. 21 - Popularity is not the same as friendship (Eugene, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-21-eugene Ep. 20 - Why might a friend not tell you the truth? (Anna, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-20-anna Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend won’t talk about problem (Monet, Age 9) | 24 Jan 2026 | 00:06:15 | |
Ep. 132- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Finding the right words in a conflict | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Think of a recent conflict you had with a friend. What happened? How did you deal with it? Is there something you would like to do differently next time? - What are some reasons why a friend might not want to talk about a problem? - What does the statement “We can’t force someone to be friends with us” mean? - Why is saying or implying, “I’m good; you’re bad” not a helpful way to deal with conflict? What could you do instead? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 1 - Friendship ends over small thing (Naomi, Age 7) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep-1 Ep. 129 - Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep129-kindest-way-to-break-up-with-a-friend-audrey-age-9 Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| They have lots of playdates, and he doesn’t (Matthew, Age 7) | 17 Jan 2026 | 00:06:36 | |
Ep. 131 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Giving versus getting as a friend | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever wished you had more playdates? Who do you think you’d like to invite over? What would you like to do with them? - How is friendship different from a game? - Dr. Friendtastic said, “Positive and negative actions don’t have equal impact” on relationships. What does that mean? (Hint: How do kind or unkind actions affect a friendship?) - Why is a one-on-one get-together a good way to deepen a friendship? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 49 - Feeling different and rejected (Charlotte, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/charlotte-age-8-feeling-different Ep. 70 - Knowing when and how to stop (Owen, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep70-owen-age-8-stop-signals Ep. 77 - Friend is nicer to someone else (Maya, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep77-maya-age-8-friend-is-nicer-to-someone-else Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Should she quit the team? (Summer, Age 9) | 10 Jan 2026 | 00:06:29 | |
Ep. 130 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Ways to contribute to a team | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why do you think kids sometimes want to quit a sport or activity if they’re not instantly the best performer on the team? - What could you say to someone who wants to quit that might convince them to continue an activity? - When is it a good idea for kids to quit a sport or activity? - What is the difference between process and performance? They both matter, but which do you think is often most important? Why? - What can you do now that you weren’t able to do last year? How did you manage to improve your skills? - What are some ways to contribute to a team, besides scoring in a game? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 7 – Friend is a poor sport (Emma, Age 11)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep7-poor-sport-friend Ep. 75: Upset when he loses a game (Alex, age 10)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep75-alex-age-a10-upset-when-he-loses-a-game Ep. 125 - Not picked to play on the team (Charlie, Age 9)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep125-not-picked-to-play-on-team-charlie-age9 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) | 03 Jan 2026 | 00:07:06 | |
Ep. 129 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Big friendship break-up, slow fade, or something else? | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Have you ever had a friendship end? What happened? Was it your choice, their choice, neither, or both? - If you were the friend being dumped, how would you want your former friend to handle it? - Dr. Friendtastic believes it’s very mean to suddenly refuse to speak with someone. What do you think? Why is this not a good way to handle friendship rough spots? - Why is it not a good idea to involve other people in a conflict between you and a friend? - How do you decide whether to try to work things out or end a friendship? (Hint: what might make you want to stay or go?) *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 127 - Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep127-friend-wants-space-sloane-age-6 Ep. 114 - Friend is ignoring her! (Emma, Age 13)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/friend-is-ignoring-her-emma-age-13 Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11)https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| When you cry easily (Beth, Age 6) | 13 Dec 2025 | 00:07:38 | |
Ep. 128 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: 5 Things to Do When You Feel Like Crying But Don't Want To | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Think of a time you cried recently. What triggered your tears? Were you alone or with others? If you were with others, how did they respond? - Everyone cries sometimes. What do you think are some good or not-so-good places to cry? Why? [Hint: Who’s around and how are they likely to respond?] - Have you ever tried to comfort a friend who was crying? What did you do? - Dr. Friendtastic mentioned 5 self-soothing strategies to use when you feel like crying but don’t want to cry. Which of these appeals to you? What other strategies might be helpful? - Research says that females tend to cry more often than males. Why do you think that is? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 102 - How to express your feelings with friends (Aida, Age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep102-how-to-express-your-feelings-with-friends Ep. 97 - How and why to understand a friend’s feelings (Zoya, age 5) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep97-how-and-why-to-understand-a-friends Ep. 5 - Friend doesn’t want what I want (Edith, age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-episode-af3 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6) | 07 Dec 2025 | 00:06:56 | |
Ep. 127 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Closeness vs. separateness in friendship | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - How have you tried to learn about other cultures? (Hint: Do you know any words in a different language? Have you eaten food from a different culture? Have you had the chance to travel to different countries? Have you read books about someone who lives in a different country or comes from a different culture?) - Do you like physical affection with friends or do you prefer a hands-off style of relating? How do you let friends know what you prefer? - Has a friend ever told you they wanted space from you or didn’t want to be your friend anymore? What happened? - Have you ever wanted physical or emotional space from a friend? How did you handle that? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 123 - How to Keep Friends (Eva, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep123-how-to-keep-friends-eva-age-6 Ep. 111 - Friend won’t forgive her (Thea, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11 Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| The Right Gift for a Friend (Saanvi, Age 12) | 29 Nov 2025 | 00:06:12 | |
Re-release Ep. 37 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: The Joy of Giving | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What is the best gift you ever received from a friend? What makes you think it’s the best? - Why do you think Saanvi’s parents don’t want her to give her friend an expensive gift? What are some reasons why giving a friend an expensive gift might not be a good idea? - What is something you gave to a friend that didn’t cost any money, but the friend really liked it? - Dr. Friendtastic listed a bunch of ideas of possible gifts for a friend that cost little or no money: teaching the friend something, helping a friend with chores, makin a drawing or a craft, yummy food, a photo collage, a slide show, or a video about the two of you, writing a letter or a card telling the friend how much they mean to you. Which of those would you most like to receive? Which of these–or another idea–would you most like to give to a friend? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 47 - Why friendships matter (Brayden, Age 9) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/brayden-age-9-why-are-friends-important Ep. 67: Choosing good friends (Paul, Age 12) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/paul-age-12-choosing-friends-who Ep. 123 - How to keep friends (Eva, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep123-how-to-keep-friends-eva-age-6 Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| How to Have a Conversation - for Kids | 22 Nov 2025 | 00:06:27 | |
Ep. 126 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Talking and Listening with Friends | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - Why do you think kids sometimes feel nervous about talking with other people? (Hint: What might they be afraid of?) - Who do you enjoy chatting with? Why? (Hint: What do they do that makes your conversation enjoyable?) - How could you answer the question “How are you?” using the “Great!”-plus-one-fact formula? (Reminder: The “one fact” should create a picture in the listener's mind.) Why might this be a useful formula for conversations? - Dr. Friendtastic says, “focus on being interested more than interesting.” What does that mean? Why might it be a helpful approach to conversations? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 72 - Making friends in a new school (Nora, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep72-nora-age-8-making-friends-new-schl Ep. 70 - Knowing when and how to stop (Owen, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep70-owen-age-8-stop-signals Ep. 92 - What to say when a friend is feeling down (Mason, Age 13) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep92-mason-age-13-what-to-say-when-a-friend-feels-down Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||
| Not picked to play on team (Charlie, Age 9) | 15 Nov 2025 | 00:06:56 | |
Ep. 125 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Watch then blend | Friendship advice for kids Parents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com. FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098f 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://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/ Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com. Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents. *** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: - What are some ways to pick teams that are fair and kind to everyone? - Why is it sometimes hard for kids to be a good sport? - How do you decide who to play with at recess? (Hint: What might make you choose to try to join one group of kids but not another?) - Have you ever “started the fun” at recess? If so, what did you do? If not, what fun game or activity could you try to start with other kids? *** You might also like these podcast episodes: Ep. 124 - How to Join Kids Playing (Amelia, Age 8) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep124-how-to-join-kids-playing-amelia-age9 Ep. 107 - Secrets to self-control in friendship and life (Alex, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep107-secrets-to-self-control-in-friendship-and-life-alex Ep. 7 – Emma, Age 11: Friend is a poor sport https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/kids-ask-dr-friendtastic-ep7-poor-sport-friend Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe | |||