Helping Your Child Make New Friends

Making new friends isn’t always easy for children. Although some children are naturally sociable, many children suffer from shyness, which can hinder their ability to form friendships. Fortunately, this is something that parents can help their children to overcome, using a few simple techniques.

Read on for six great tips from an independent school in Surrey, on how you can help your child to successfully develop their social skills and build new friendships…

Role model

It is important for parents to set a good example for their children by being sociable and friendly to others. Teach your child to be kind and considerate and to always use good manners.  You should also explain how to hold a conversation and stress the importance of listening to others when they are speaking.

Encourage Empathy

Encourage your child to share with other children and to be considerate of others feelings. Read stories that teach empathy or inspire kindness, and practise turn-taking by playing games together. This will all help them to develop the ability to be considerate.

Conversation starters

Starting conversations with new people can be hard for adults, as well as children. To help your child feel more confident about speaking to other children it can be it can be useful to prepare a few opening lines. These could include some really simple compliments or questions, such as ‘I like your toy’ or ‘would you like to play?’.

Play dates

Arrange a play date at your house with some of your child’s classmates. This will help your child to get to know the other children in a familiar setting, where they will feel more relaxed and confident.

Stand back

Where possible, try to stand back and allow your child to work out issues alone. Disputes with friends are common at school and learning how to resolve these issues alone is an important life-skill.

Hobbies

Encourage your child to develop their hobbies and interests with some extra-curricular activities. These classes or clubs will not only help your child to develop new skills, but they will also provide an ideal opportunity for your child to socialise.