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
Friend’s secret could harm them (Nicoletta, Age 14) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:51
Ep. 81 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Knowing when to tell an adult Nicoletta is worried about what to do when a friend begs her to keep a secret that could harm the friend.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://e…
Dealing with a manipulative friend (Laina, Age 11) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:51
Ep. 80 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Dealing with a manipulative friendLaina wonders how to deal with a manipulative friend. But what does that even mean?FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.…
Is your friend a fake friend? (Mar, Age 11) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:59
Ep. 79 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Is your friend a fake friend?Mar wants to know how to recognize a fake friend.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098fWould YOUR KID like t…
How to Confront a Friend [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:49
Ep. 78 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: How to confront a friend.What can you say when a friend does something that upsets you? How do you get your message across without wrecking the friendship?FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Go…
Friend is nicer to someone else (Maya, Age 8) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:25
Ep. 77 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: A friend is not a birthday cake!Maya wonders what to do when she notices her friend being nicer to someone else than to her. Scroll down for discussion questions.FREE quiz: Is Your Chi…
Welcome to the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:40
Ep. 0 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: TrailerWelcome! Each episode of the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast features an audio recording of a question about friendship from a kid (in grades K-8), plus a practical and thought…
Friends ditch her (Anaya, Age 10) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:14
Ep. 76 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Not signing up for more of the sameAnaya wonders what to do when friends leave her behind. Scroll down for discussion questions.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenke…
Upset when he loses a game (Alex, Age 10) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:57
Ep. 75 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Learning to be a good sportLike a lot of kids, Alex has trouble coping with losing a game.Scroll down for discussion questions.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenken…
Friend hits her (Aubrey, Age 6) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:36
Ep. 74 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: End a friendship or work it out?Aubrey wants to know what to do about a friend who hits her.Scroll down for discussion questions.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenk…
Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:42
Ep. 73 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: A fast (but not easy) way to repair a friendship riftJ.J. feels hurt, angry, and confused because the kid he considered his best friend suddenly refuses to play with him.Scroll down fo…