Teenage friendship problems weigh heavily on us moms. 💔

Do you have a teenager who’s struggling with friends? It hurts the mama heart, doesn’t it? 

October was Teen Month here on 3 in 30, but I decided to extend that one more week to include one of my favorite resources for advice on raising teenagers: Brooke Romney. 

I asked Brooke to talk with us about how to help support our teens when they’re coming up against problems with friends. And let’s face it, friendship problems are a universal teenage experience at some point or another. 

I first interviewed Brooke on the podcast back in 2018, and in the six years since, she’s become a personal friend and mentor to me as I navigate the ups and downs of parenting. Brooke gets it – she is a mom of four boys ages 13 to 22, and now a grandma of two. She has incredibly compassionate, realistic, wise advice for moms in the trenches. 

More than once, I have reached out to Brooke personally to talk to her about a hard situation with one of my children, and her insight always gives me so much hope and perspective. 

By way of a professional introduction, Brooke Romney is the best-selling author of the 52 Modern Manners for Teens and Kids series, which we will talk about a bit in this episode, and she is the founder of  @brookeromneywrites, a large and vibrant community on Instagram that brings together parents of tweens and teens for support, inspiration, and education. She has also been published in the Washington Post, Deseret News, and is a sought after speaker. 

I really can’t say enough good things about this amazing woman, so let’s get into it so you can experience her for yourself. 

 

Brooke Romney’s Takeaways for Parents on Teenage Friendship Problems: 

 

1. Remember that social development comes at different times and different rates for all kids. 

Try not to compare your child’s social journey to the journey of other kids or even to your own experience when you were a teen. Comparison can make things unnecessarily hard because every kid is on their own timeline, and it’s important not to project our own feelings about their social journey onto them. If we panic, catastrophize, or obsess about their friendships (or lack thereof), it will only make things harder for them. So take a breath and show up to support them while also realizing that it’s okay if they are on their own timeline.

 

2. Have a growth mindset about social and relationship skills. 

If our child struggles in math or soccer, we remind them and ourselves that they aren’t good at something “yet,” but they can get there with some practice and effort. As parents, we can often forget this also applies to social and relationship skills. Some kids are more naturally gifted in these areas, but it doesn’t mean that those who struggle can’t learn and improve! Find resources to help, practice with them, and expose them to situations where they can use their new skills. I love that Brooke’s Modern Manners books have made this easy for busy parents to work into their weekly routine, focusing on just one social skills tip per week with their children. 

 

3. Find ways to empower them and build their confidence.

Research ways they can get involved in school or the community. Contact the school to see what clubs they could join or Google community groups. Help them get a job or start a volunteer opportunity. If they are resistant, don’t be afraid to put an expectation in place that they will be involved in at least one opportunity each season. You can help them with the research, and then they can choose, but sitting at home playing video games after school every single day isn’t going to be an option.

 

Bonus Takeaway: Remember that family can be a great source of connection and friendship to sustain your child when things are tough at school. 

I love Brooke’s suggestion to plan one fun thing to do as a family each weekend– especially if your teen struggles with friendship problems. This could look like a movie night, an outdoor adventure, or a game night. And don’t forget that Brooke’s new game is a great way for families of tweens and teens to get to know each other better and truly connect through fun and competition. It also helps kids get to know themselves as they answer the questions.

 

Friends, we are doing it! We are navigating the tricky teen years with our kids & showing up for them through all their ups and downs. We can be there for the teenage friendship problems, the first break-up, and the bombed test in history class. I hope you feel how important you are. 

 

 

Save this summary to Pinterest so you can use it later! 👇

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What did you think of Brooke Romney’s takeaways for parents on teenage friendship problems? Have you helped your teen navigate some hard friendship struggles? Share your tips! Comment below! 

 

 

***

 

Related Episodes like this one on Teenage Friendship Problems:

• 148: Teaching Children How To Navigate Friendships // Deana Thayer and Kira Dorrian of Future Focused Parenting
• 395: What to Do if Your Teen is Exhausting You // Andee Martineau
• 396: How to Help Your Teen Live a Better Story

 

 

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Get $5 off Flecks of Gold Journal for the month of November!
  
• 52 Modern Manners for Teens 
• 52 Modern Manners for Kids

 

About our Guest: 

Brooke Romney is the best-selling author of the 52 Modern Manners for Teens and Kids series and the founder of @brookeromneywrites a large and vibrant community that brings parents of tweens and teens together for support, inspiration, and education. 

Brooke has also been published in the Washington Post, Deseret News, and is a sought after speaker. 

She is married to a wonderful man who loves her unconditionally and pushes her to think deeply and be more adventurous than she ever planned. Her four boys have taught her so much about love, joy, forgiveness, and never taking yourself too seriously. She has a weakness for gummy candy and long walks. She has loved growing her family with a new daughter-in-law and 2 grandbabies which has only multiplied the love. 

Brooke believes in sharing real life with a hopeful twist and creating spaces where parents of teens feel less alone. 

 

Get in Touch with Our Guest:

• Instagram: @brookeromneywrites
• Website:  www.brookeromney.com

 

Sponsors:

• BetterHelp: 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/3in30 to get 10% off your first month of online therapy.
• Earth Breeze: Go to earthbreeze.com/3in30 for 40% off with your subscription now.
• Quince: Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.