That's what I think, too. He seems to be trying to regain the SAME dynamic, but that overlooks the fact that this creates some other social problems (since everyone else thinks that they are a couple, and hey-- they act like it). I've been quietly coaching DD to try changing the relationship's basic dynamic without bailing on the friendship entirely...
because this
is some rare practice at that particular skill, and as we've already established in this thread, compatible peers don't grow on trees. In other words, regardless of outcome, the learning experience is too rare an opportunity to walk away from.
Sorry to derail-- but this is somewhat relevent, I think. When a friendship goes south, I kind of think that it may be
more important to have our kids 'work through' that stuff, since ditching friendships when the going gets rough is going to lead to a lot of lonely times in life otherwise. Best to practice salvage and recovery now.
