Plumpy: My Friends Don’t Get Along!

Dear Plumpy,

You know how people sometimes say “too much of a good thing?” Well, I think I finally understand what that means. Because I’ve got too many friends. Too many friends who don’t get along, that is.
My best friend Alice cannot STAND my other best friend (my neighbor) Lucy. And don’t even ask about my cousins Em and Jen. They don’t like Alice OR Lucy! It’s so crazy. I tried having a sleepover to make everyone get along, and it just ended with a huge fight. What do I do, Plumpy? My friends are awesome; why can’t they see it?

-          Too Much

Dear TM,

It’s tricky being friends with people who don’t really get along, isn’t it? The best advice I can give you is this:

1.       Try to find some common ground with everyone – do they all like movies? Maybe they’re all into playing a sport. Whatever it is, mention that it’s something they share. That might help to bridge the gap a little bit.

2.       Try to figure out WHY they don’t like each other. If their dislike of each other is based on something untrue or something that was misunderstood, clear up the misunderstanding.

3.       See them separately. Not everyone will get along with everyone else- it’s just how life goes. Sometimes personalities clash.

The take home message is that there’s no guarantee that your friends will all get along. The important thing is that they all get along with YOU, and YOU like each of them. And remember – people sometimes change as they mature, so even if your friends aren’t buddies now, they may like each other better as they get older.

Good luck.

Love,

Plumpy