P/T D just called me to report on the results of her latest peer mediation session. (P/T D was picked to be a peer counselor at the high school and just finished training.) Today's session involved three girls, who were all fighting over the same boy. The boy was there, and loving the whole thing.
As P/T D described it, all the girls were going through a "she said this, and I know it's not true, because I'm his Only True Love" kind of thing. The girls felt that a fist fight would solve the problem, but someone ratted them out and they were sent to peer mediation.
P/T D tells me that she listened to all the girls and the boy. The she made her decision -- The girls should talk to one another and be friends, and to make a pact that they won't believe anything the boy says about the others. P/T D said, "then I told them that the girls need to stick together, because at our age, boyfriends come and go, but you can have your girl friends for life."
At the end, the girls were getting along and communicating, and the boy was dateless, at least for now.
P/T D then said, "See, I listen to you! I know it looks like we don't hear you when you say these things, but I really do listen. And it actually worked!"
Imagine that.
I don't know which shocked me more: that they listened or that P/T D actually admitted my platitudes serve some useful purpose. :-)
Kathy N-V