Posts Tagged ‘pediatric therapy’

The Power of Modeling Friendship for Our Kids

Posted on: January 30th, 2025 by Jaclyn Pate No Comments

By Jennifer Volpe

One of the most beautiful things about watching our kids grow is seeing how they navigate friendships. As parents, we know that friendships are an essential part of childhood, and yet, we don’t always realize the incredible role we play in shaping how our children approach them. How we model friendship—our kindness, empathy, and willingness to connect with others—lays a foundation that our kids carry into their own relationships. I’ve seen this firsthand with my son and his group of friends, and it has reminded me just how much kids can teach us about the power of connection.

Kids Meet Each Other Where They Are

One thing I’ve noticed about my son’s group of friends is how naturally they meet each other’s needs. For example, one of the boys in their group struggles with verbal communication. Instead of this being a barrier, the other kids instinctively adapt. They gravitate toward active, running games where words aren’t as necessary. It’s a subtle, unspoken kindness that feels so effortless, yet it’s a powerful reminder that empathy can be as simple as noticing what makes someone comfortable and leaning into that. It feels like a far cry from my own experiences as a child. 

Simple Acts of Kindness

Every morning, my son and his friends greet each other on the way to school with hugs. The parents and I remark about this natural affection and the consistency of showing up for each other. I’ve also noticed moments of accountability within their group. When someone’s feelings get hurt, apologies happen frequently without adult intervention. It’s not a perfect system, and sometimes an adult has to be involved, but there is a growing process of acknowledging and repairing, something we, as adults, can sometimes do better ourselves. Usually, in 10 minutes all has been forgotten.

A Sleepover Lesson in Acceptance

Recently, my son and two of his friends had a sleepover. It was everyone’s first sleepover. Both of his friends brought along their “stuffies” to spend the night. There was no teasing, no comments about being too old for stuffies. Instead, they embraced it fully. They even asked each other about the names of their stuffies as they battled it out over Mario Kart (complete with obnoxious dancing while winning and trash-talking). The contrast was hilarious, but more importantly, felt like a moment of pure acceptance where each child could show up as their authentic self without fear of judgment. 

What We Can Learn and Model

Our kids are always watching us, learning from how we interact with our friends, our partners, even strangers. Do we show up with kindness? Do we apologize when we’ve made a mistake? Do we create space for others to be themselves? These little actions might seem small, but they’re exactly what our kids will mimic in their own friendships.