How to Help Kids Build Positive, Healthy Friendships | Thriving Kids Podcast

Friendships are a huge part of growing up — but they don’t always come easy. In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson talks with Dr. Mandy Silverman about how parents can support their child’s social development in meaningful, practical ways.

From navigating playdates to balancing online and real-world relationships, they break down what kids need to build strong, lasting friendships — and how you can help without hovering or overstepping. You’ll get expert guidance on what’s typical (and not), how to encourage connection, and what to do when your child seems to be on the outside looking in.

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Explore more free resources: childmind.org/resources

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Resources Mentioned

From the Child Mind Institute:
• Friends and Socializing Resource Center: childmind.org/topics/concerns/friends-socializing
• How to Help Kids Make Friends: 12 Evidence‑Based Tips: childmind.org/article/how-to-help-kids-make-friends/
• Kids Who Need a Little Help to Make Friends: childmind.org/article/kids-who-need-a-little-help-to-make-friends/
• Helping Children Make Friends: What Parents Can Do: childmind.org/article/helping-children-make-friends-what-parents-can-do/
• Contact a Clinician: childmind.org/contact/
• The Thriving Kids Projects: childmind.org/education/outreach-partnerships/thriving-kids/

Other Helpful Reading:
• APA – How to Help Kids Navigate Friendships and Peer Relationships: apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/08/help-kids-navigate-friendships
• Harvard Health – What Parents Can Do to Support Friendships: health.harvard.edu/blog/helping-children-make-friends-what-parents-can-do-202301052874
• Verywell Family – Controlling or Toxic Friend Guidance: verywellfamily.com/signs-your-friend-is-controlling-and-a-bully-460803
• Raising Children Network – Encouraging Positive Behavior: raisingchildren.net.au/

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Welcome to Thriving Kids
01:15 – Why friendship worries quickly spiral for parents
02:30 – The impact of screens and “curated” social lives
04:30 – What kids actually need from friendships
06:00 – Values vs. behaviors in choosing friends
08:00 – How much control do parents really have?
09:30 – Quality over quantity: busting the “more friends = better” myth
11:30 – Social development in different communities
13:00 – From classmates to playdates: building friendships step by step
15:00 – Structuring playdates (and why unstructured time backfires)
16:00 – What about screen-based friendships?
17:30 – Why IRL friends still matter (but online isn’t bad)
18:30 – Pushing past discomfort: when to nudge your kid
20:30 – Helping kids grow through new experiences
22:00 – A personal example (spoiler: it’s okay if they cry at first)
24:00 – Do as we say, not always as we do — lessons from our own parenting