Big Idea:

A strong friendship is like a good co-op team in a game. You trust each other, work together, and have fun — but also have each other’s backs when things go wrong.

💬 Key Traits of a Healthy Friendship:

• Trust – You feel safe sharing your thoughts without being judged.
• Respect – You both care about each other’s feelings, choices, and opinions.
• Support – Friends cheer you on during tough times and celebrate your wins.
• Fairness – You both put effort into the friendship, not just one person always trying.

🚩 What If It Feels Unhealthy?

Not all friendships feel good — and that’s important to notice.

Signs of an Unhealthy Friendship:

• You feel anxious or drained after talking to them.
• They ignore your boundaries or don’t respect your “no.”
• They guilt you, put you down, or manipulate you.
• You do all the giving, and they just take.

🛠 What Can You Do?

✅ Step 1: Reflect

Ask yourself:

• Do I feel safe and respected in this friendship?
• Do I like who I am when I’m around them?

✅ Step 2: Set Boundaries

Try saying:

“I don’t like when you joke about that — please stop.”
“I need some space today. I’ll message you later.”
If they respect your boundaries, that’s a good sign. If not, that tells you a lot.

✅ Step 3: Talk It Out (If Safe)

You can say:

“Hey, I’ve been feeling kind of left out lately. Can we talk?”

Keep it calm and “I-statement” focused:

“I feel __ when __. I’d like __.”

✅ Step 4: Walk Away If Needed

Some friendships won’t improve, even if you try. That’s not your fault. Choosing your peace isn’t rude — it’s smart.

📚 Real Life Example:

Amira and Zoe used to be close. But Zoe started ignoring Amira unless she needed help. Amira felt used and confused.

After writing in her journal, Amira decided to talk to Zoe:

“I miss feeling like we’re both in this friendship.”

Zoe got defensive at first — but then admitted she’d been stressed and didn’t mean to hurt her. They agreed to start fresh.

But if Zoe hadn’t respected Amira’s honesty? Amira was prepared to take a break from the friendship.

🎮 Game Analogy:

Imagine you’re playing Minecraft survival mode with a friend. You’re building the shelter, gathering food, fighting mobs — while they just dig a hole and go AFK. After a while, it doesn’t feel like a fair team. Same with friendships: mutual effort = balanced XP growth.