Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“If two of your friends were arguing, how would you try to help them work it out?”
What to listen for
If they describe listening to both sides or suggesting a fair fix, they're showing real empathy and fairness, seeing conflict as something solvable rather than scary.
If they say they'd just pick a side, that's honest and common at this age, and it's a good moment to gently explore what it might feel like to help both friends instead.
If they say "I don't know," ask about a real argument they've seen between friends recently and build from there.
What this tells you
How they imagine helping two arguing friends shows how much they're developing fairness and empathy beyond just their own side of things.