Answer: A. Definitely don’t confront the other kid! It’s hard to accept, but what someone says behind your back is none of your business. People are entitled to their opinions, and they’re even allowed to express them in private conversations. Your friend shouldn’t have repeated the other kid’s unflattering comment. The important thing is that you like your haircut. But even if you didn’t like how your haircut turned out, there’s no need to focus on everyone else’s opinion. Also, having–and even expressing–different hairstyle preferences is not bullying. It’s not reasonable to think that everyone has to admire your haircut!
Answer: B or C. Getting into an argument with your friend about who’s a better skateboarder isn’t interesting or fun. If your friend actually does have some skills you’d like to learn, why not ask for his help? Otherwise, just change the subject and keep playing. Option D isn’t a good idea because socks aren’t very tasty.
Answer: b or d or e — Saying something nice to stick up for your friend is the kindest thing to do. If you don’t feel able to do that, for whatever reason, ignoring the comment and changing the subject at least cuts off the mean comment and shows you’re not interested in mean talk. Telling your friend what you heard seems like a loyal thing to do, but it spreads meanness, so don’t do it. If you repeat the comment, your friend will feel bad and the other kid will also get mad at you.
Answer: c — Saying hi is a friendly thing to do. Adding the other kid’s name makes your greeting more personal and more friendly. You don’t have to be best friends with people to greet them. Sometimes, kids have trouble with greetings because they feel shy or self-conscious. Say hi, anyway. If you say nothing or look away, you’re telling the other kid, “I don’t like you, and I don’t want anything to do with you!”
Answer: d — It’s not fun to lose–especially three times in a row–but you need to be a good sport. c) is not a good answer because, even though you’re doing what your friend wants, you’re not doing it in a friendly way. That ruins the game for your friend. It’s better to suggest a new activity that both you and your friend will enjoy, so you can have fun together.
Answer: b or c or e — If you enjoy the game your friend wants to play, playing all together, option b), can expand your friendship circle, and it’s a kind thing to do because it means your friend doesn’t have to choose between you and the other friend. Otherwise, option c) is your best choice. Getting mad or insisting that your friend HAS to play with you will hurt your friendship.
Answer: d — When friends ask you to stop doing something that they find annoying, you should try to stop. You may need to sit on your hands, pretend your tongue is stuck to the roof of your mouth, or just move farther away to give them some space. It’s not bullying when people ask you to stop annoying behavior. If something isn’t funny the first time, it’s not going to become funny if you repeat it. Also, if you continue doing something that your friends have asked you to stop, they will probably get very mad at you. Listening when people ask you to stop shows you care about them.
Answer: d or e — Unless your teacher has given you permission to work together, sharing or copying answers is cheating. Don’t let yourself get talked into doing something that you know isn’t right, even by a friend! You can say no without being mean. You may have to say no more than once if your friend keeps asking. In some situations, you may be able to help your friend without cheating, by explaining how to do the work.
Answer: a — A sincere apology is a wise and caring thing to do when you’ve upset a friend. You don’t want to end a friendship over a mistake! Say you’re sorry, say what you did wrong, and tell how you’re going to avoid doing it again. (What will you do the next time you’re in that situation?) But what if your friend also did something wrong? Your apology might inspire your friend to apologize to you. Even if your friend doesn’t apologize, you’ll know that you did the right thing. Don’t apologize again and again. That’s just annoying. Say it once and mean it, then move on.
