Therapist shares some simple tips for parents to help young girls navigate friendships

Raising teenage girls can prove to be a challenging task. They often go through several major biological and emotional changes that it becomes hard for them to traverse complex relationships in life. However, with the help of this simple tip shared by a mom who also happens to be a therapist, things just might get easier. Teenagers face some of the most daunting crises while growing up in terms of adjusting to school as well as making or maintaining friendships. Parents might fail to recognize these issues and, over time, all the pent-up emotional complexities might negatively affect the teenager.

Mom of four girls and licensed therapist Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto—who goes by @nurturing_girls on TikTok—has seemingly found a solution to the friendship drama that young women often get embroiled into. She has a great tip on how to ease the stress that comes along with doubtful teenage friendships. Dr. Palmiotto reveals to her viewers that it is all about "balance, variety and creating opportunity."

"Providing your daughter with multiple social opportunities might help her to balance the challenges that come with some of her friendships as she gets older," Palmiotto starts in her TikTok video. "The more social circles she has, the more choices are available. So, when one circle gets challenging, she has the opportunity to move to the other." The therapist also recommends fellow parents encourage their young girls to put themselves out in social situations like sports, church gatherings, family get-togethers and mingling with neighbors and peers at school.

"They're all really important to nurture, all of them, by just keeping in touch and finding ways to connect every now and again," she continues. "I have seen girls that have a variety of friend groups navigate the normal drama that can come with adolescence much easier than girls that don't. As parents, we can't control the social situations but we can be there to support her when they're challenging and help her by providing spaces that help nurture those variety of friendships." Dr. Palmiotto also believes that teen female friendships can be quite tricky.

The drama that occurs in friends' circles is unavoidable but as long as the teenager can move away from the toxic friends' group, there is nothing much to worry about. Dr. Palmiotto wants young girls to socialize with multiple friend groups so they can have more options to choose the right friends. People lauded the therapist for sharing this valuable video.

"Oh, my goodness. I had such a rocky middle school experience with only one group of friends and I think I’ve been subconsciously building multiple social circles ever since. It’s wonderful to have different friends in every part of my life! I’ve said I’m allergic to friend groups, this must be why," @laurenstephanie02 wrote. @laurab_22 commented, "I love this so much! My daughter has this and it has helped so much. I wish I would’ve had this growing up." @mychristiemichelle added, "I feel like you’re healing a younger me and your words apply even to friendships as an adult. So glad I found your account."

A high school counselor Dylan Ohara has observed students after the post-pandemic era where upon returning to school they simply did not know how to act with their peers, according to Los Angeles Times. The concerning issue amongst teenagers even manifested in various anti-social behaviors. "We’re seeing this need to really go back to the basics when it comes to helping students understand what healthy intimate relationships look like," Ohara, who works at Skyline High School in Oakland, told the outlet. "The social drama is just so incredibly amplified beyond anything I’ve ever seen."

Hopefully, Dr. Palmiotto's simple tip and her remaining videos about raising teen girls will help people with their parenting duty.