Dear David,   My daughter will be five years old. She is happy, well-mannered, loving and pretty. She has attended a Montessori school since she was 16 months old and has made two friends. The three girls are always together, or talking with each other.   But recently the girls told my daughter that they would not play with her if she kept playing with the boy who was disliked by most of the class. My daughter always finds good things in others and insisted they play with him, too. Then one of the friends told my daughter she didn't have straight hair and shouldn't play with them. Then she started ignoring my daughter. My mother-in-law decided to iron my girl's beautiful curly hair .    With her birthday coming, my child decided to invite her friends to her party. When I asked her why, she said because they were always together, but I know one of the girls will not attend her party.      I'm concerned about her. I feel lost, not knowing how to help my child.                                                                             Jenny Dear Jenny,    It's always painful to a mother when someone hurts her child. Your daughter's friends weren't nice to her, but little kids are still learning how to get along with others. As a result, young friendships are often fleeting, even changing from day to day. Your daughter seems to be remarkably loving, outgoing and mature  beyond her years. Perhaps you need to be proud of the way she treats people. Ironing your daughter's hair won't send your daughter or the other girls a good message. It implies that there is something wrong with the way she is. You have no choice but to let your daughter know that one of the girls won't be attending her birthday party. If she seems upset, remind her that other friends will be there. My guess is that she will rise to the occasion. Hope this helps.                                                                        David When the daughter was asked not to play with that boy, she probably   _  .
thought her friends were right. felt lucky to have such good friends. thought her friends shouldn't have said that. realized her friends were not popular with others.