My eldest daughter is nine.
To me, her friendships seem utterly exhausting. There is a group of 4 of them who are 'best friends'. It is a constant stream of who is cross with who, who 'ditched' who, who didn't wait for who, who saved who a space in the canteen. They all talk about each other behind everyone else's backs. In all honesty, I'm not sure my daughter even likes two of them, but they are her 'best friends'.
I worry that it isn't really a healthy friendship. I do talk to her about how good friends don't say they'll meet you at break time and then go somewhere else instead. To be clear, they are all as bad as each other, my daughter included.
It is a general source of stress for my daughter, and she often talks to me about it. She is tearful about something that has gone on at least once a week.
She has had other friends before without this drama. I just wondered how normal this is? Is it about par for the course at this age? Or should I be gently encouraging my daughter to make other, less exhausting friendships?
I bought her this book a while back.