When your kids come home from school and don’t mention any friends, it’s easy to worry. After all, healthy peer relationships are a substantial part of life. Realistically, parents can’t expect their children to blossom into perfect social butterflies – at least not right away. Some kids need a little more time to learn this skill than others.
While you can’t make friends for your children, there’s a lot you can do to encourage meaningful social practices. Take a look.
Pay Attention to Interactions
As a father, there’s no better way to understand your kids than to head straight to the source. Attend one of their extracurricular activities or volunteer to chaperone a field trip. Then, take note of how your children act. Do they start conversations with classmates or seem to stick to themselves? Maybe your kids don’t know how to approach others. They could even like to socialize, but struggle to create bonds.
If you can observe specific interactions, you’ll be able to find a solution.
Have a Conversation
It’s essential to remember that every kid approaches life differently. So, don’t immediately assume there’s an issue here. Your children may have a few social-emotional barriers that they don’t know how to handle. Approach this conversation with a judgment-free front, as you don’t want to alienate them. When you’re ready, you can start to ask specific questions about the situation.
Become a Role Model
Your children look to you for guidance. Sometimes, parents forget that they’re role models in every sense of the term. Do your best to lead by example. When you chat with a neighbor or family member, make sure that your kids are aware. Make comments that can pull them into the conversation in a low-pressure way. As a result, they’ll become more confident over time.
Join Different Activities
While you don’t want to overwhelm your children, it’s still essential to create a social atmosphere. If they’re interested in basketball, join a local team. Head to the playground so they can communicate with other kids outside of school. No matter what, try to choose an activity that excites them. That way, your children can start to associate positive thoughts with social interaction.
Talk to Teachers
It may be necessary to talk to your kids’ teachers to gain further insight. After all, educators play a significant role in your children’s daily life. Send them an email or set up a conference, so you can start a conversation about these issues. Be sure to speak about your concerns on both ends. They might not have noticed any problems, either. As such, you’ll need to bring them up to speed.
Usually, there’s a ton of resources available to address similar situations. For example, your children’s teachers can have them sit with like-minded classmates at lunch. Other “buddy systems” are also popular. These efforts give kids many different opportunities to make friends.
Reward Changed Behavior
Children often respond well to positive reinforcement – and every small victory requires praise. When your daughter tells you she ran around with a peer at recess, be vocal about it. Give her a high-five and tell her she’s awesome. Similarly, you’ll want to be as open as possible to playdates and sleepovers. It’s not easy to deal with someone else’s kid for an entire night, but it’s essential for your child’s development.
You’ll soon see that your children have become more receptive to friends.
Don’t Make Comparisons
Maybe your oldest kid has a ton of friends, but your youngest two are more introverted. On top of that, you and your partner love to entertain dozens of people every weekend. It’s easy to wonder where you went wrong – but such a state of mind doesn’t help. Again, each child goes through life differently. Some feel at ease when they’re friends with their entire class. Others seek more profound connections on a lesser scale.
Work With Your Children to Help Them Make Friends
Respect your kids’ approach and learn how to help them navigate this situation. When you’re objective, you can work with them to tackle any issue. Be there as a pillar of support so that they can make friends over time. It may take a while for them to make use of these social skills, but it’ll happen.
—
Have you read the original anthology that was the catalyst for The Good Men Project? Buy here: The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood
◊♦◊
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project and want to join our calls, please join us as a Premium Member, today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
stock photo ID: 1177653850