Growing Friendships

Parenting

When Your Kid Is Not Invited to the Party

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on June 30, 2025

When your child is rejected, somehow it feels a thousand times worse than being left out yourself. Here are five ideas for how you can help your child cope.

When your child is rejected, somehow it feels a thousand times worse than being left out yourself. Here are five ideas for how you can help your child cope.

Parenting

“What Do We Tell the Kids?”

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on June 29, 2025

Sharing appropriate information with our kids helps them feel better equipped to cope with difficult times, but oversharing burdens children with having to take care of us.

Sharing appropriate information with our kids helps them feel better equipped to cope with difficult times, but oversharing burdens children with having to take care of us.

Self-Control

5 Secrets to Self-Control

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on June 28, 2025

Self-control isn't about forcing ourselves to do something we hate. It's choosing to act in ways that fit our values and using practical strategies, no gritted teeth required.

Self-control isn't about forcing ourselves to do something we hate. It's choosing to act in ways that fit our values and using practical strategies, no gritted teeth required.

Child Development

What to Do When Your Child Talks Nonstop

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on April 1, 2025

Conversation catch, stop signals, and choosing their moment.

Conversation catch, stop signals, and choosing their moment.

Friends

How to Tell If You Can Trust a Friend

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on March 31, 2025

It takes courage to trust someone, especially if you’ve been burned before. How can you figure out whether a friend is trustworthy?

It takes courage to trust someone, especially if you’ve been burned before. How can you figure out whether a friend is trustworthy?

Embarrassment

3 Types of Embarrassment and How to Deal with Them

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on March 30, 2025

Embarrassment means feeling uncomfortably exposed to unwanted attention from others. How can you cope with those cringeworthy moments?

Embarrassment means feeling uncomfortably exposed to unwanted attention from others. How can you cope with those cringeworthy moments?

Friends

The Common Belief That Can Block You From Making Friends

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 31, 2024

Have you ever thought you needed to present yourself in a certain way to make people like you? You do not have to be impressive to draw friends to you.

Have you ever thought you needed to present yourself in a certain way to make people like you? You do not have to be impressive to draw friends to you.

Anger

How Not to Confront Someone

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 28, 2024

Put-downs can be tempting, but they don't solve relationship problems. Communicating clearly and effectively is more powerful. Here's how.

Put-downs can be tempting, but they don't solve relationship problems. Communicating clearly and effectively is more powerful. Here's how.

Parenting

12 Ways to Help When Your Child Struggles to Make Friends

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 21, 2024

We can’t make friends for our kids, but we can help ease their way socially. When kids feel lonely, hurt, or hopeless about finding friends, parental support is crucial.

We can’t make friends for our kids, but we can help ease their way socially. When kids feel lonely, hurt, or hopeless about finding friends, parental support is crucial.

Friends

Fitting in Versus Belonging

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on March 30, 2023

Belonging is when we feel known and valued. Trying to fit in makes us feel anxious and constantly on edge. Here are questions and ideas to help you find genuine belonging.

Belonging is when we feel known and valued. Trying to fit in makes us feel anxious and constantly on edge. Here are questions and ideas to help you find genuine belonging.

Perfectionism

The Difference Between Perfectionism and Healthy Striving

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on March 28, 2023

Rigid, unrelenting perfectionism makes people miserable, yet they often cling to it, believing it's necessary for productivity.

Rigid, unrelenting perfectionism makes people miserable, yet they often cling to it, believing it's necessary for productivity.

Relationships

A One-Syllable Word That Could Improve Your Relationships

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on March 26, 2023

A Personal Perspective: How one word can put partners on the same side, rather than against each other.

A Personal Perspective: How one word can put partners on the same side, rather than against each other.

Gratitude

5 Ways to Teach Your Child to Be Grateful

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 22, 2022

Ungrateful children may just not have learned the importance of expressing gratitude. Here's how to teach them this essential social skill.

Ungrateful children may just not have learned the importance of expressing gratitude. Here's how to teach them this essential social skill.

Media

When Your Child Gets Cyberbullied

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 16, 2022

Clear guidance can help your child avoid or deal with online meanness and cyberbullying.

Clear guidance can help your child avoid or deal with online meanness and cyberbullying.

Grief

How to Comfort a Child Who Has Lost a Loved One

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 15, 2022

Losing a loved one is upsetting and confusing for children. Here's how you can help your child cope with grief.

Losing a loved one is upsetting and confusing for children. Here's how you can help your child cope with grief.

Stress

When Coping Well Is Costly

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on September 30, 2022

Sometimes people who look amazingly capable feel depleted by the enduring strain of having to cope well.

Sometimes people who look amazingly capable feel depleted by the enduring strain of having to cope well.

Anxiety

What to Say Instead of "Be Careful!"

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on September 28, 2022

Saying "be careful!" gives children no useful information. It only tells them, "I'm anxious, so you should be, too!"

Saying "be careful!" gives children no useful information. It only tells them, "I'm anxious, so you should be, too!"

Health

The Limits of #MentalHealth Content

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on September 15, 2022

We need to be wise about understanding the benefits and limitations of #MentalHealth content.

We need to be wise about understanding the benefits and limitations of #MentalHealth content.

Teamwork

4 Common Complaints About Teamwork

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on December 18, 2021

Four complaints that children and adults commonly voice during group projects, and some possible ways parents or teachers can respond.

Four complaints that children and adults commonly voice during group projects, and some possible ways parents or teachers can respond.

Friends

Does Your Child Need a Best Friend?

Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D. on September 30, 2021

How common are best friendships among children?

How common are best friendships among children?