Growing Feelings

A Kids' Guide to Dealing with Emotions about Friends and Other Kids

by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore; Christine McLaughlin

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Pub Date Jul 11 2023 | Archive Date Jun 27 2023

Beyond Words Publishing | Beyond Words

Children's Nonfiction | Health, Mind & Body | Parenting & Families

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Description

Children’s biggest emotions often come up about friends and other kids. In this funny and useful book, authors Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin help kids understand and cope with feelings in ways that build strong friendships.

2023 NATIONAL PARENTING PRODUCT AWARDS WINNER

Everyone likes the idea of “best friends forever,” but friendships can be complicated, and they often involve dealing with difficult feelings. Almost all children have experienced feeling shy at a party where they don’t know anyone, furious during an argument with a friend, or sad when a friend moves away. Because kids care a lot about friends, they often have big emotional responses about them.

This entertaining and empowering book addresses a wide range of feelings children have about friends and other kids, including worry, guilt, jealousy, compassion, and gratitude. Through relatable cartoon stories, practical, research-based coping strategies, plus silly commentary from a cat and dog who have their own (questionable) ideas about what might help, kids get a hands-on approach that they can put into practice.

Child psychologist Eileen Kennedy-Moore and parenting and health writer Christine McLaughlin show kids how to recognize the Feelings Story behind common friendship rough spots, demonstrating the links between events, thoughts, emotions, actions, and social reactions through the situational cartoons, so children can clearly see how their reactions fuel or resolve relationship problems. And going far beyond a simplistic and unrealistic “don’t worry, be happy, think positive only” approach, Growing Feelings offers a nuanced perspective on feelings about friends. It emphasizes that all emotions are useful and guides children in how to empathize with others’ reactions, as well as how to understand, manage, and communicate in healthy ways about their own feelings.

Caring friendships are a protective factor for children’s mental health. Giving kids the tools they need to deal with the feelings about friends is a powerful step toward protecting and improving their well-being.

Children’s biggest emotions often come up about friends and other kids. In this funny and useful book, authors Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin help kids understand and cope with...

A Note From the Publisher

eBook: 9781582708799

Advance Praise

“Funny and relatable, Growing Feelings takes the sting out of friendship problems. Young readers will emerge feeling better about themselves, with skills to handle jealousy, disappointment, shyness, anger, and more.”

—Dawn Huebner, PhD, author of Dr. Dawn's Mini Books About Mighty Fears

“At a time when so many kids are overwhelmed by understanding their feelings, this charming book provides the perfect combination of humor, strategies, and practical explanations. The authors systematically tackle three big buckets of feelings (anxiety, anger, and sadness) and how they relate to making and keeping friends. Chapters provide relevant examples of real-life experiences and questions through the lens of kids’ perspectives. An essential tool for parents, therapists, and educators and an informative and fun guide for students!”

—Michelle Garcia Winner, founder of Social Thinking

“A fun, engaging, and helpful book for kids to read with their parents! Friendships are critical to healthy development and create many BIG feelings. Dr. Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin help kids navigate Friendship Rough Spots by helping them understand the multiple emotions they’re experiencing and providing a variety of practical actions they can take to improve friendships.”

—Mary K. Alvord, PhD, psychologist and co-author of The Action Mindset Workbook for Teens, Conquer Negative Thinking for Teens, and Resilience Builder Program for Children and Adolescents

“Children must read this book! It’s great—reader-friendly, informative, relevant, and research-based. The many cartoons, amusing dog and cat banter, and relatable Feelings Stories will empower children to find ways to overcome Friendship Rough Spots and forge meaningful connections with others. With its helpful tips, glossary, and fine-tuned perspectives on feelings, actions, reactions, and friendship-building, Growing Feelings is destined to become a classic!”

—Dr. Joanne Foster, gifted education and child development specialist and

award-winning author of Being Smart about Gifted Education and Bust Your BUTS