In this episode of "The Knowledgeable Parent Podcast," host and therapist Emily Lehring argues that the common parental advice, "just don't play with them," is an unhealthy response when a child says someone was mean to them.

She explains that this approach fails to teach children the crucial life skill of managing conflict and maintaining relationships, which they will need with teachers, coworkers, and partners later in life. It also prevents the other child from learning from their behavior and robs the parent's own child of the chance to practice self-advocacy.

Instead of giving immediate advice, Lehring suggests parents should:

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  Ask open-ended questions to understand the full story.

  
  


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  Reflect their child's feelings to encourage them to share more.

  
  


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  Help their child explore different solutions, empowering them to navigate the situation rather than just avoiding it.