Teaching Kids to Respond Kindly When Someone Is “Mean”

I was mortified to hear my 7-year-old son say to another little boy,
“You are so mean and you ruin everything!”

We had invited a school friend over to our house for a playdate. His mum had just arrived to pick him up, and at that moment, my son — clearly frustrated — blurted this out.

Why? His friend had been destructive with his toys and had deliberately disrupted their games... which meant no one could really enjoy playing together.

His feelings were understandable. And so, my son expressed this frustration verbally.

So why am I telling you this story? What’s the deeper significance behind his outburst?

It raises an important question many parents face…
Is it okay for children to express themselves bluntly? Or should we help them learn how to express their truth and be kind at the same time?

This very moment became a powerful opportunity to teach my son something valuable. And so, in this episode , I share the 3-step strategy I used to empower him to express how he felt without insulting his friend.

Yes, our kids will feel angry or hurt sometimes. But it’s what we help them do with those feelings that shapes how they treat others — and how they see themselves.

Let’s teach our kids to honour their voice and value the impact of their words.

Want more tools to help your child communicate with confidence and kindness?
Join the Stressed to Best Parent Method — a practical and empowering course for parents, with a whole module focused on helping your child express big feelings in healthy ways.

Click here to get started and strengthen your child’s emotional intelligence today