“She’s my best friend! I never want to talk to her again.” If you’ve heard a version of this at your dinner table, welcome to the wild world of tween friendships. One day, they’re inseparable; the next, they’re “taking a break.”
Why Friendships Get Complicated at This Age
Between growing social awareness, emotional intensity, and the need to fit in, tweens struggle to navigate friendships gracefully. Cliques form, misunderstandings happen, and peer approval becomes everything.
How to Help Your Tween Build Healthy Friendships
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Teach Conflict Resolution. Drama is inevitable, but learning to work through it maturely is a life skill.
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Encourage Friendship Boundaries. They don’t have to be best friends with everyone—it’s okay to step back from unhealthy dynamics.
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Give Them Tools, Not Just Advice. Practicing social skills in a group setting (like our Empowered & Connected group) helps them learn in a real way.
Friendships shouldn’t feel this exhausting. Let’s help your tween build confidence in choosing and keeping healthy friendships. Join our next session here!