How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7)

How long should you keep a friend? (Matthew, Age 7)

Author: Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, psychologist, focusing on children's feelings, children's friendships, parenting, mental health. February 21, 2026 Duration: 4:35

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

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…