It’s crazy how quickly your child powers through noteworthy stages.

In utero, they grow from a grain of rice to a grape, to a rockmelon. Then they’re born, and before you know it, they’re rolling, crawling, running, learning your real name isn’t Mum. Suddenly, they’re four years old and entering the “best friends” stage.

Do close friendships carry too many pitfalls? Credit: iStock

I wasn’t prepared for this. There’s no manual or app with cute animations explaining how to support your child as they start stomping on other children’s hearts. “Tilly is not my best friend any more,” my daughter will announce and, when pushed to describe the relationship, she will say something devastating, like: “She took the stick I was playing with,” or “She gave our doll the wrong name”. There’s more drama than you could poke the offending stick at.

Sometimes, when she makes these kinds of statements, I find myself wondering if I can introduce her to the radical concept of conscious uncoupling, or if it’s too advanced for her young mind. Given that most adults outside of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin failed to get their heads around it, I realise it probably is.

“Everyone is your best friend,” I chant, hoping to hypnotise her into being........

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