Latest news with #bestFriend
Washington Post
7 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
Asking Eric: Husband disapproves of spouse's international birthday trip
Dear Eric: I am planning a getaway with my best friend from grade school. We live in different parts of the United States but keep in touch and see each other when we can. We want to celebrate each of us turning 60 this year by going to a Caribbean destination for a few days. My husband of more than 30 years is not a beach person, so he's glad to be off the hook for a vacation like this.
CTV News
25-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Montrealers struggle to keep pets as costs climb
Ania says her dog Rory is her best friend and emotional support — but caring for him doesn't come cheap.
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
‘My 10-year-old is being ostracised by her group of friends. Should I email the other parents?'
Question My 10-year-old girl is being excluded in school. She had a group of five friends (including a best friend who she has known since she was a toddler) and all was fine until about two years ago when another girl joined the group and started to try to push my girl out. There was a couple of incidents in the yard where she was physically pushing my daughter away from the group. I tried to speak to the girl's mother, but that did not go well and she was really defensive. We eventually told the teacher, who seemed to sort things out in the yard. From that time, this girl (and her mother) has not forgiven my daughter and has been excluding her. Last week we discovered that the group had been arranging outings without including my daughter. Even her original best friend has been involved in this and the other girl now says she is now the best friend and they don't talk to my daughter in the yard. My daughter is obviously very upset about this, and I am very angry about how she is being treated. We met the teacher and the principal and she said she would do a workshop with the class on friendships and include everyone. I don't know if this is enough. READ MORE My husband and I are wondering about emailing the other parents on the group to explain what is going on and how our girl is being treated. We have also wondered about changing our daughter's class as she has two friends in another class (who she knows from GAA) but that would be disruptive to my daughter when she is the victim of all of this. My daughter is particularly upset at the loss of her best friend. One of the other mothers confided to us that she thinks the whole friendship group has become a bit 'toxic'. What actions should we take to help our daughter? Answer Being excluded from a friendship group you belonged to can be very hurtful, and your daughter has experienced the added pain of losing a best friend in the process. You are right to take your time to think how to respond. As you have discovered, contacting other parents can sometimes escalate friendship disputes (unless you know the other parents well and do this in a very sensitive manner). In my experience, parents get very defensive with any mention that their child might be a bully, and frequently parents get sucked into their children's disputes. As a result a letter to all the parents might make things worse. [ Bullying: School days can be the best days of your life – but what about when they're not? Opens in new window ] While most schoolchildren organise themselves in large friendship groups, these can easily become toxic and exclusionary as young children don't have the social skills to manage conflicts and frequently behave in a 'mean way' towards each other. The peak age for friendship disputes is about 10-13 before the children start to mature and learn better social skills. How you can help you daughter? The first step is to support your daughter emotionally. Acknowledge how hard it can be if you feel excluded and how painful it can feel if a 'best friend' starts spending more time with another child. However, be careful about over-reacting and being angry on her behalf. Instead, try to give your daughter perspective. Explain how friendships can move on and change, and children become closer to different children at different times. Explain that though children are sometimes mean and behave badly, this doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your daughter and that she deserves to be with good friends who treat her well. [ 'Mum, I'm so lonely at school. Nobody speaks to me all day' Opens in new window ] Explore ways forward The next step is to explore solutions with your daughter. If the group dynamic is toxic, would it help to arrange one-to-one play dates with your daughter individually? You could support her on an outing with the original best friend or in a threesome with another girl in the group. However, it is also worth considering whether it is best for your daughter to 'move on' and to build friendships outside the group? In that instance, you could help her identify other children in the class who might be potential friends as well as supporting her connections with the two GAA friends from the other class. In my experience the best approach is not to do anything dramatic such as completely breaking off contact. Instead I encourage children to pull back their energy from the friendship they are hurt by (but to not burn bridges in the process) and in parallel to focus on building new connections, enjoying new activities and seeking new friendships. Work with the school Continue to work positively with the school about the issue. The workshop on friendship might help the class be more inclusive. Also, the teacher may be able to help you identify other potential friendships for your daughter in the class as well as supporting her to make these connections. The teacher may also be able to subtly manage classroom dynamics and particularly yard time so your daughter feels more included. Structured activities, pairing children creatively in projects, changing the class set up etc can all help move things on. John Sharry is clinical director of the Parents Plus Charity and an adjunct professor at the UCD School of Psychology.
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Fighting Words: Happiness
As I watch the sky, the world falls quiet and for a few moments I feel happy. Okay maybe not silent, the birds are chirping their lullabies but that makes me calm and happy as well. As I look to my left, I see my best friend. She glistens in the daylight, swaying her head to the song of the outdoors. She brings me happiness. The grass is chilly against my skin. It's a bit wet, sure, but who doesn't like getting a bit watery? All this brings me great happiness. I've got my sunglasses on, whistling a basic tune. The sun blinding, my friend's sighing and me, happy. As I lay back, I know that happiness is all around me. People, places and most importantly, nature. Life. Life, brings me happiness. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. The rain poured like my tears. I was bawling my eyes out. Why was I not happy? "It's raining cats and dogs." If only it was. If only I could just go outside as a cat or a dog fell right into my cold arms, I'd at least feel the slightest bit happy. I didn't know why I wasn't happy; I would have been happy a few months before, a few days ago even. What changed then? Where was my happiness? As I watch the sky turn from cloudy and gloomy to hot and sunny, I feel my tears drying, slowly disappearing. Am I happy? I sniffle, breathing in the hot sun. Maybe I was. Maybe I was feeling better. Although I was crying a minute ago, I feel safe. I feel a sense of happiness blooming in me. I run to my best friend, yes her. She comforts me in ways I didn't know I could be comforted. I hug her tightly, feeling a warm fuzzy feeling inside me. Everything makes me calm. Everything makes me joyous. Everything makes me happy.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Woman Says She's ‘Caught in the Middle' of a Fight Between Her Husband and Best Friend
A woman is feeling frustrated after her husband and best friend got into a tense exchange on Saturday Explaining the situation on Mumsnet, the woman said her husband made a joke about her and her best friend being on their periods at the same time "She's not willing to accept any apology and thinks he's an idiot basically," the woman said of her friend A woman is stuck between siding with her husband and best friend following an argument that the two engaged in. On Monday, May 5, the woman penned a lengthy post on the UK-based online forum Mumsnet explaining that things got heated between her husband and best friend over the weekend. She said her husband overheard her and her friend talking about both being on their periods before he left to go to the pub. 'Friend arrived and DH [dear husband] was still here waiting for his friend to give him a lift,' the woman shared. 'As he was waiting to go out, my friend jokingly said something like 'escaping us are you?' 'DH [dear husband] answered this by saying it's bad enough when it's my TOM [time of the month] let alone being in the house when it's two women's,' she continued. 'This was said in a more derogatory way if you know what I mean.' is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Related: Woman Wants to End an 'Exhausting Friendship' After Seeing Her Friend's Seemingly Pointed Snapchat Post The woman added that her best friend was not amused and labeled her husband 'sexist.' He then clapped back that her friend was 'uptight' before leaving the house a few minutes later. 'I spoke to DH [dear husband] when he got home and on Sunday, and he was apologetic and said he'd be willing to apologize directly to my friend,' the woman said. 'I've said this to my friend, but she's not willing to accept any apology and thinks he's an idiot basically. 'I am stuck in the middle,' she added. 'Am I being overly harsh to suggest that now a few days have passed, my friend should accept the apology, given it's sincere?' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Several responses to the post agreed with the woman's best friend that her husband's comments were inappropriate. However, commenters were torn as to whether she should accept his apology or hold a grudge. 'I don't think it's appropriate or polite for him to be commenting on her menstrual cycle, joking or not,' one person said. 'I wouldn't be impressed and would feel very uncomfortable if my friend's husband made a joke about my period, I would let it go, but wouldn't be too happy.' Related: She Made a TikTok to Find Her Best Friend a Date. Now She's a Bridesmaid at the Wedding (Exclusive) 'Love how his joke is somehow worse than hers,' another wrote. 'She started it, he reciprocated in kind. She's been oversensitive and a drama queen. He doesn't even need to apologize imo [in my opinion].' Disagreeing, a third said, 'Apologies don't fix everything. Sounds like your DH has some quite sexist views, otherwise he'd never have made the joke in the first place. And to double down when called out is bad too. I'd be distancing myself too.' Another chimed in, saying, 'He had a chance to rectify it when she responded initially, instead, he doubled down and insulted her again. I wouldn't be too keen to forgive someone who behaved like that and I'm not sure I would believe it was sincere either. Sorry you're in the middle.' Read the original article on People
