When Girls Fall Out: Making Sense of Friendship Drama

In this episode Sophia Giblin spoke with Andrew Hampton, ex-headteacher and author of the insightful book When Girls Fall Out. We discussed: The intense “Existential Imperative” girls feel for intimacy and belonging in female friendships Why girls often embellish or conceal the full truth when confiding in parents Communication strategies that provide empathy versus judgment How over-involvement from adults often makes friendship problems at school even worse Some of Andrew’s key recommendations for supporting girls through friendship turbulence: 🔹 Listen first, offer advice later. She needs emotional validation more than quick fixes. 🔹 Set an open, non-reactive tone. Steady confidence from you reassures her. 🔹 Empower her to handle issues rather than helicoptering in. 🔹 When emotions overwhelm, shift to uplifting activities that remind her of your unconditional love. If you found value in Andrew’s insights into girls’ friendships and would like to learn more, check out the following resources: 📖 Get the book When Girls Fall Out on Amazon here 🌐 Explore Andrew’s Girls on Board school program for reducing teacher workload and empowering positive social dynamics at www.girlsonboard.co.uk Thanks again to Andrew for providing such helpful and actionable guidance! If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. We appreciate you listening!