How to Help Kids Repair Friendships: A Simple 3-Step Script

Friendship conflicts are inevitable—a misunderstanding, a snappy comment, a game that ended in frustration. But here's the good news: most friendship bumps can be repaired when children have the right words to reconnect. Teaching your child a simple, three-step repair script transforms these difficult moments into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships.

Name What Happened

The first step in repairing a friendship is helping your child clearly identify what went wrong. This isn't about assigning blame—it's about acknowledging the situation honestly and specifically.

Encourage your child to start with a simple, factual statement:

• 'Yesterday I grabbed the controller when it was your turn.'
• 'I didn't include you in the group chat.'
• 'I said something mean when I was frustrated.'

Keep it short and concrete. Long explanations or justifications can sound like excuses. A clear, honest acknowledgment shows your child understands what happened and is ready to take responsibility.

Own Your Part

This step is where genuine repair begins. Your child needs to acknowledge their role in the conflict and offer a sincere apology.

The key phrase? 'That wasn't fair. I'm sorry.'

These simple words carry tremendous power. They show your child recognises how their actions affected their friend and genuinely regrets causing hurt. No 'but' should follow the apology—that undermines the sincerity. A clean, straightforward apology demonstrates emotional maturity and respect for the friendship.

Suggest a Do-Over

The final step gives the friendship a path forward. Your child can offer a specific solution or suggest a way to prevent the same problem next time:

• 'Can we try again today and set a turn timer?'
• 'Next time I'll check with you before making plans.'
• 'How about we come up with a signal for when we need a break?'

This concrete suggestion shows your child is committed to doing better. It also gives their friend reassurance that the same conflict won't keep happening.

Practice Makes Progress

The best time to teach this script is when emotions are calm—not in the heat of a conflict. Role-play different scenarios together: playground disagreements, group chat mishaps, classroom tensions. Keep the practice realistic and encouraging.

You can also brainstorm simple guardrails together, like asking for a turn before grabbing something or using timers to keep games fair. These proactive strategies prevent conflicts before they start.

Remember, repairing friendships doesn't require perfection. It means taking responsibility and offering a genuine path forward. With repetition, your child will learn that most small bumps can be fixed, and friendships don't have to end over one rough moment.

Supporting Your Child's Social Success

Teaching these friendship repair skills is invaluable, but some children benefit from additional support with focus and emotional regulation. If your child struggles to pause before reacting or finds it difficult to concentrate during important conversations, scientifically proven plant-powered focus supplements like those from Brainzyme can help support their natural abilities.

Visit www.brainzyme.com to discover how Brainzyme works and explore which formula might support your child's social confidence.