How To Handle Teen Friendship Challenges: The Do's and Don'ts

Were you ever part of the Girl Scouts?

I was and absolutely cherish the opportunities to engage with different troops. I have the privilege of working with remarkable Girl Scout troops and focusing on the importance of recognizing how relationships can have a powerful impact on us and the value of inclusivity.

Navigating relationships can indeed be quite a challenge. As parents and mentors, we often find ourselves seeking ways to support the incredible girls in our lives.

In Katie Hurley's insightful book, "Mean Girls No More," she offers invaluable tips for nurturing healthy friendships. I'm excited to share these insights with my Girl Scout friends and wanted to pass them along to you as well.

How To Handle Friendship Challenges

• Say that you need time to think. You don't have to solve every problem right away.
• Talk about how you're feeling.
• Use I- statements to avoid the blame game. For example, "I feel embarrassed when other people make jokes about me."
• Take responsibility for your role in the conflict.
• Use a calm but assertive voice to communicate your thoughts.
• Be honest.
• Listen.
• Consider your friend's perspective.
• Work together: State the problem. Talk about feelings on both sides. Brainstorm possible solutions.
• Talk it out with a trusted adult if you don't know how to solve the problem.

Maladaptive Coping Strategies

• Exaggerate or lie to make the situation seem bigger than it is. 
• Gossip or build alliances to get other friends in on the conflict. 
• Blame: It takes two to have a conflict.
• Use the silent treatment to retaliate. It never solves a problem and often makes the problem worse. If you need time alone to think, tell your friend.
• Pretend you have no feelings or keep your face devoid of emotions.
• Use phrases like “whatever” or “I don't care” to hide your true feelings. 
• Talk over your friend.
• Taunt your friend to make onlookers laugh.
• Dismiss your friend's feelings.

Download: Guidelines For Healthy Friendships

If Your Daughter Is Struggling With Friends, Don’t Wait Until It Gets Worse.

Beyond The Drama

A Parent's Guide To Supporting

Your Daughter Through Friendship Challenges

1. Gain Deep Insights: Understand the psychological and social factors that influence friendship issues among girls.
2. Become a Supportive Listener: Learn how to effectively listen and advise your daughter during challenging times.
3. Practical Strategies: Acquire actionable strategies to help your daughter navigate relational aggression and bullying.
4. Empower Your Daughter: Teach her to proactively handle friendship challenges with confidence.
   
   What you'll get:

• 8 Comprehensive Video Lessons.
• 5 PDF Guides
• 4 Podcast Episodes To Listen To With Your Daughter
• My Curated Reading List 

If your daughter is feeling overwhelmed, left out, or unsure of herself during this season, she doesn’t have to go through it alone — and neither do you.

At The Brave Girl Project, we offer support to help girls build confidence, manage friendships, and handle the emotional ups and downs of growing up — with real tools that work.

✨ The Brave Girl Tribe (for girls in 5th–8th grade) meet weekly
✨ The High School Support Group (for girls in 9th–12th grade) meet bi-weekly 

Both groups provide coaching, connection, and community — all in a safe, supportive space where girls feel heard, understood, and empowered.

Your daughter is invited to join us as a guest for an upcoming session!

👉 Click here to sign up your high school daughter as a guest in the High School Support Group
👉 Click here to sign up your middle school daughter as a guest in the Brave Girl Tribe

We’d love to welcome her and show her what it’s like to feel supported, confident, and seen — exactly as she is.

“Since joining, my daughter’s confidence has grown—and I feel less alone as a parent too.” – Brave Girl Parent

Explore More Resources on The Brave Girl Project Website

Discover a variety of tools and resources tailored for you and your daughter on our course page at The Brave Girl Project website. Dive in to find additional support that could be instrumental in navigating back-to-school challenges. Take a look and see what else might be helpful for you both! Click here to access our tools and resources page.

Warmly,

Laura Hayes
Founder of The Brave Girl Project
Life Coach for Tween and Teen Girls
www.TheBraveGirlProject.com
[email protected]