November 2024
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    Hi all,

    My middle child (10F) has been struggling . She is very kind and well mannered and polite with all the adults around her, and wonderful to interact with. However, she continues to struggle with her friends. I don't know this for sure, so it's not a matter of just punishing a specific behavior- it's more like the stories she tells me send strong vibes that she's the problem. I'm picking up on pettiness, jealousy, twisting minor slight into major offenses (For example, she left something at her friends' house and she is convinced her friend "is stealing it" just because the other parent and I haven't arranged a pickup yet). I would not jump to call her a bully, because I genuinely don't think she's targeting anyone in particular and she's not intentionally harming anyone. None of the issues have been serious/physical/verbally abusive. She's just being a difficult friend, and blaming everyone else for everything. I don't want her to progress to becoming a bully or a "mean girl".

    There are lots of books out there about how to deal with bullies or difficult friends as a "victim", but does anyone have any recommendations for if *your kid* is to blame for the drama? I am really hoping for middle-grade level as opposed to children's picture books. Perhaps a character arc where a young girl learns how to have patience and be kinder and offer more grace to her friends.

    by danenbma

    1 Comment

    1. RightLocal1356 on

      The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald are very humorous ways of approaching bad behaviour in children. She has very strange and sometimes magical cures. I’m pretty sure at least one of them deals with bullying behaviour. Not a chapter book but a series of short stories.

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