DR. WALLACE: I just learned that a good friend of my daughter's is going to be moving across the country this summer and she'll have to attend a new high school in New York state. My daughter is upset as well but has promised to keep in touch with her close friend.

My question is about how healthy this might be for both girls. They just each finished up their sophomore years at the same high school, and they've been very close friends for six years now in total.

Since this girl won't be coming back anytime soon, I don't want my daughter to be constantly depressed and to only spend her time on the telephone with her friend in New York this summer and the entire next school year as well. How can I best accomplish this? — Concerned Mother, via email

CONCERNED MOTHER: Today's teenagers are quite resilient. I trust that each of these girls will be sad for a period of time, but they will each adapt to their new school environments without each other.

I expect them to also keep in close touch with each other and I would encourage you to not get in the way of that. They deserve to remain good friends for now and even for the rest of their lives if they choose, and I feel they likely will. Being close friends for six years is very difficult to replicate and they will always cherish their shared experiences together.

And once the possibility of college rolls around, if they choose to do so, they might even find a way to attend the same university. Encourage your daughter to spend time with new friends and to participate in activities you approve of, but don't ignore her friendship with this girl going forward. Make it a point to occasionally ask your daughter how this girl is doing and what her adjustment has been like. Your daughter will appreciate your interest as she is going through a transition.

I REALLY MESSED UP!

DR. WALLACE: I'm a teen girl and have three great, close girl friends. We do a lot of things together and have enjoyed lots of good times over the past three years. We're even known as "the four corners" to other kids at our school since the four of us are together almost always!

But at the end of the school year, I really messed up! I was told a secret by one of the other three girls and was asked not to reveal it. Well, a cousin of mine from out of state got out of school a week before we did here, and she and her family came to our city to visit our family.

One night I told her the secret since she was from out of town and doesn't know the people involved. Well, this really blew up on me! Apparently, she was at our local mall with my aunt (her mother) and she was telling her mom the story I told her. And it just so happens that someone from our school was at the mall that night and they overheard this conversation. The cat was let out of the bag and now my friend is rightfully mad at me — so mad she's not even talking to me.

Is there anything I can do? I feel horrible and I know now I've made a huge mistake. I'm also afraid our "four corners" will turn into the "three musketeers" with me being the odd person out. Help! — I Made a Huge Mistake, via email

I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE: Approach your friend again as quickly as you can and apologize to her profusely. Don't make any excuses or go into the fact your cousin's from out of town to explain yourself as that won't go over well at all.

Just admit you were wrong, apologize and look her in the eyes and ask for forgiveness. Sincerely tell her that it will never happen again and that you've learned a valuable lesson the hard way.

That's all you can do for now, other than to mention these very same thoughts to the other two friends in your group and ask them if they can think of anything you might be able to do to even partially try to make it up to her. At least this way all three of your friends will have no doubt as to your contrition and that you have apologized and admitted you made a severe error in judgment that will never occur again. And be sure it does not.

Perhaps over time things will calm down, and if there is something special that you can do for the friend you let down, don't hesitate to try anything reasonable that might be able to at least partially make things up to her. At least your sincere efforts will be noted going forward, despite the error you made previously.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Thought Catalog at Unsplash