Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“What would you do if a friend started copying everything you do, like your clothes and your favorite games?”
What to listen for
If they say it would feel flattering, that shows confidence in who they are and comfort with being admired rather than threatened.
If they say it would feel annoying or confusing, that's completely normal, it shows they want their own identity to stay clearly theirs, which is a healthy thing to want.
If they're unsure, ask how they'd want to tell the friend how they feel about it kindly.
What this tells you
Their reaction shows how strongly they need their own things and choices to feel like uniquely theirs.