It is so important for all of us to be the safe haven for our kids, especially when their social lives are turbulent. I think it drew D closer to all of us, as we commiserated with her about how random and sometimes mean people could be. Helping them be agile to find/make their tribe really helps too.
D and her buddies weren’t the jocks nor the student govt nor the “popular” kids but they were the diverse and very inclusive kids. It really helped her grow by being around so many different kids with diverse backgrounds.