BONUS Episode: Jealousy and Openness - Part 1

BONUS Episode: Jealousy and Openness - Part 1

Author: Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, psychologist, focusing on children's feelings, children's friendships, parenting, mental health. September 23, 2025 Duration: 23:44

Hi there,

I’m hosting this week’s theme in the Big Emotions: Kids Listen Mashups About Feelings series!

Jealousy & Openness Part 1 is available now, and I'm honored to guide the conversation around some of the most complex emotions kids face in friendships.

If you're just learning about this, Big Emotions is a limited podcast series created with my friends from Kids Listen, Tal Kelly and Jenna Clarke. The series explores 7 emotional themes through 14 episodes, released on Tuesdays and Thursdays through October 30th. Each week, it shines a light on different feelings pairs. The series features clips from over 40 podcasts for kids.

What’s coming up

* Jealousy & Openness (Sept 23, 25) - I'm hosting these!

* Anger & Forgiveness (Sept 30, Oct 2) - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic is featured

* Belonging & Independence (Oct 7, 9) - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic is featured

* Embarrassment & Pride (Oct 14, 16)

* Love & Sadness (Oct 21, 23)

* Endings & Beginnings (Oct 28, 30)

This week we're exploring jealousy and envy, which we know can be tricky feelings - they can sting, make us compare ourselves to others, or worry we'll lose someone important to us. But they can also be helpful, pointing us toward what matters most and motivating us to grow.

In today's episode, you'll learn the difference between jealousy and envy, explore their opposites (like openness, compassion, and contentment), and hear how kids and families deal with these feelings with curiosity and kindness.

The episode features stories from Girl Tales and Sleep Tight Stories, as well as Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic, all woven together to help kids understand that these big emotions are normal and manageable.

Part 2 comes on Thursday, where we'll go further into how kids can handle jealousy in ways that strengthen rather than damage their relationships.

I've also created downloadable SEL Activity Sheets for each episode to help you continue the conversation at home and deepen what your child learns from the episode: Activity Sheets (PDFs)

Listen to the rest of the episodes wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1502915722

I can't wait for you to hear what we've created together. Please lest me know what you think!

Warm wishes, Dr. Eileen



Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe

In Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8), real children from kindergarten through eighth grade send in their questions about the tricky, wonderful, and sometimes confusing world of friendships. Each week, Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore-a clinical psychologist and author known as Dr. Friendtastic-responds with a thoughtful, practical answer designed just for young listeners. The conversations in this podcast get straight to the heart of what kids experience: navigating arguments, feeling left out, trying to make a new friend, or figuring out how to be a good one themselves. Eileen Kennedy-Moore draws on her deep expertise in children's feelings and social development to offer actionable advice that respects a child's perspective. The format is brief and engaging, with each episode lasting about five minutes, making it an easy listen for a car ride or quiet moment. This isn't about lectures; it's about giving kids the tools and confidence to handle social situations with kindness and resilience. Parents and educators often find the discussions helpful, too, as the podcast naturally opens doors for deeper conversations about emotions and relationships. By focusing on real questions from real kids, the podcast creates a genuine connection, assuring young listeners that their friendship worries are normal and solvable. Tune in weekly to hear compassionate guidance that turns everyday social puzzles into opportunities for growth and connection.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friendship Advice for Kids (K-8)
Podcast Episodes
Friends do more “mature” things than she does (Evie, Age 10) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:46
Ep. 134 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Friends growing up too fast? | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? ht…
Can he be friends with people who don’t like him? (John, Age 8) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:20
Ep. 133 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Say no to one-way friendships | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? h…
Friend won’t talk about problem (Monet, Age 9) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:15
Ep. 132- Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Finding the right words in a conflict | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Fr…
They have lots of playdates, and he doesn’t (Matthew, Age 7) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:36
Ep. 131 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Giving versus getting as a friend | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Frien…
Should she quit the team? (Summer, Age 9) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:29
Ep. 130 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Ways to contribute to a team | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? ht…
Kindest way to break up with a friend (Audrey, Age 9) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:06
Ep. 129 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Big friendship break-up, slow fade, or something else? | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Yo…
When you cry easily (Beth, Age 6) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:38
Ep. 128 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: 5 Things to Do When You Feel Like Crying But Don't Want To | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: I…
Friend wants space (Sloane, Age 6) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:56
Ep. 127 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Closeness vs. separateness in friendship | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Goo…
The Right Gift for a Friend (Saanvi, Age 12) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12
Re-release Ep. 37 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: The Joy of Giving | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? htt…
How to Have a Conversation - for Kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:27
Ep. 126 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Talking and Listening with Friends | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Frie…