Chapter 86 The Friendship Challenge

• When Tyler, James's best friend, started excluding him from group activities, April caused a social drama in middle school that made it difficult for James to maintain his self-respect and his family's values of kindness and loyalty while navigating complicated peer relationships.
• James said, "Tyler told Michael that he's 'outgrown' being friends with me because I'm too interested in building things instead of sports, and he didn't invite me to his birthday party," in a tone that was more upset and perplexed than angry, during supper.
• "That must feel really frustrating," Grace stated, recognizing that, if not managed carefully and sensibly, peer rejection in middle school might have an enormous adverse impact on James's social growth and self-confidence.