For girls, friends mean connection and validation and when a girl wants to hurt another, the deepest wound she can cause is to cut off that friendship.
The technical term is called relational aggression more popularly known as "mean girls.
"Often though, the mean girl was a best friend just yesterday!Relational aggression is behavior that is intended to isolate or exclude through refusing to speak, spreading gossip, starting rumors, aggressive body language, eye rolling, and mean stares.
If you daughter is the victim, here are five ways you can support her:

1. Avoid minimizing.
   Parents often underestimate the depth of pain losing a friendship can cause.
   They respond with minimizing comments like, "Just ignore her," or "Girls will be girls.
   "These empty platitudes do not help your daughter solve her problem and make her feel you don't understand, resulting in her keeping things from you.
   
2. Coach, don't solve.
   You may be tempted to step in and save your daughter by calling the other girl's parents or visiting the school.
   But, every time you solve a problem your daughter should be handling, you rob her of the opportunity to learn valuable social skills.
   You also convey that you don't believe she's capable, eroding self-confidence.
   Instead, ask what she wants to do and coach her in the skills she needs to do it.
   
3. Role play.
   If your daughter wants to talk to the other girl, offer to role play the conversation.
   Don't tell her what to say, just allow her to think through the conversation.
   Give her feedback on how she's coming across and encourage her to think through the worst-case scenario.
   Remind her all conversations need to be face-to-face (no texting!) and in private.
   
4. Encourage personal development.
   Girls who define themselves only by their friends fall hard if those relationships falter.
   Help girls pursue personal interests and hobbies that they can use to build confidence.
   Require one hour (at least) of technology-free time daily so that she's not tempted to become consumed with online gossip and is forced to do something else.
   
5. Teach social skills.
   Assertive communication and conflict resolution are skills that need to be taught.
   Eye contact, posture, voice tone, word choice, and listening skills are all necessary to build healthy friendships.
   If you need help teaching your daughter, seek a counselor who specializes in social skills for girls.
   Or encourage her to participate in a group like Circle of F.
   R.
   I.
   E.
   N.
   D.
   S.
   that teaches positive skills in a small group environment.
   Learn more about the program and facilitator guide by visiting http://www.
   susanfee.
   com