Ep. 27 – Dr. Friendtastic’s Friendship League: Josh Martin

Hi, I'm Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, an author and clinical psychologist based in Princeton, NJ.

Today we have a visit from a member of Dr. Friendtastic’s Friendship League.

The Friendship League is made up of adults who care about kids and who have volunteered to share with you some memories from when they were a kid about a friendship rough spot they faced plus a kind thing a friend did for them.

Let’s listen!

What’s up?! Josh Martin here, the voice of Dragon Ball Z’s Majin Buu. I have been asked by Dr. Friendtastic to share with you a couple of my experiences with friends when I was a kid. 

The first one that comes to mind was a rough spot that I had with a friend or should I say “friends” because I didn't have any because I was the new kid in school you know obviously that is a rough time. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced that or not, but I’m sure you’ve at least known the new kid and known how awkward that can be. 

Well, it was the same for me, but I was able to get through it with honesty and being myself and being considerate of others. You know, I was the new kid. I couldn't be expected to just hop in and be a part of the group. I took my time, paid attention, and eventually, I found those friends that liked the same kind of movies and music. I got into a play and, you know, the rest is history! Some of those friends are still friends to this day!

That brings me to my second experience, which was when a friend did something nice for me. And, because of the way that I've always been– honest, truthful with everyone and myself… Boy, I've done the same for others and they've done the same for me. I've been invited to swim parties, vacations, go to the lake, you know, or just over for ice cream, or spend the night, or whatever.

You know, I've been fortunate to have a lot of friends do a lot of nice things for me, and they continue to do that. And I believe that’s because being nice, being honest, being considerate, doing what you can for others…you'll get it back.

No, I'm no doctor. Listen to Dr. Friendtastic…or I’ll turn you to chocolate and eat cha! Hahahaha!

Wow, Josh! You covered so many important ideas about friendship.

A lot of us have been “the new kid.” My family moved a fair bit when I was growing up, so I know how hard it can be to feel like an outsider!

I like how you took your time and looked around to find kids who had similar interests to you. That common ground is where friendships grow.

And getting involved in the play…    What a great idea! Kids make friends by doing fun things together. So, even though it might feel uncomfortable at first, getting involved, doing activities, or working on projects together are all great ways to make new friends or deepen the friendships you already have.

I also like how you emphasized being honest and kind. We tend to get back from the world what we send out. Kindness is definitely the key to friendship. And for you, it opened up lots of fun opportunities.

Being kind to someone doesn’t guarantee that person will become our friend, but it shows that we’re open to friendship, which can be a good start. And it also makes us feel good to know we’re doing the right thing.

I’ll be back next week with a question about friendship from a kid. If you have a question about making and keeping friends that you’d like me to answer, go to DrFriendtastic.com, and click on the podcast tab to see how to submit your question.

And be sure to check out my books for kids about friendship: Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends, and my new book, Growing Feelings: A Kids’ Guide to Dealing with Emotions About Friends and Other Kids. They’re available through your library or wherever you buy books.