Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“What should happen when a game with a friend gets a little too competitive and stops being fun?”

What to listen for

If they suggest taking a break, changing the game, or talking it out, that shows they're learning to protect the friendship over winning, which is a mature and healthy instinct.

If they say they'd just keep playing to win anyway, that's a good moment to gently ask if winning is worth it if the friend stops having fun, without making them feel bad.

If they're unsure, ask what a friend has done before that helped a too-competitive moment cool down.

What this tells you

How they'd handle rising competition shows whether they value the relationship as much as the game itself.