Kindergarten friendships often don’t look like adult friendships. Many kids play side-by-side instead of together, shift between play partners throughout the day, and may not describe having “best friends” in the way parents expect. This is a normal part of early social development and reflects how young kids learn to share space, build comfort around peers, and gradually develop cooperative play skills. This is the age where “best friend” can mean “the kid who was near the snack table,” which honestly sometimes feels like a very valid friendship system. When “I played beside someone” is actually a good sign Kindergarten drop-off often comes with a mix of excitement and quiet uncertainty, for both kids and parents. We imagine our kids running onto the carpet, instantly connecting with a new best friend over blocks or snack time. Then real life happens. You pick them up and hear things like: “I played…