As the new school year has kicked off, many parents share a similar worry about their child… “I just hope they can make some friends”…and for good reason! Being able to make friends is a really important skill for a child to have. It helps them learn about social nuances, make school more enjoyable, helps to build their self-esteem, and it can generally just make them happier and make life seem better. However, knowing HOW to make friends isn’t something that comes naturally to a lot of children. So, we’ve come up with a short list of ways to help your child make connections with their peers that allow friendships to be formed.

#1: SOCIAL SPORTS

Sport has always been a fantastic way to make friends. Right off the bat, your child will have a common interest/passion with the children around them. Oftentimes, your child will also have the chance to work within a team towards achieving a common goal. This is a fantastic way for your child to make social connections outside of school. 

#2: MODELLING BEHAVIOUR

If your child is having trouble making friends, it can be beneficial to bring them along when you’re spending time with your friends. Children often learn by observing modelled behaviour. This way, if your child sees how you interact and converse with your friends, it could teach them valuable conversational and social skills that they can apply when interacting with their own peers.

#3: CONVERSATION STARTERS

For many children, the scariest part about making friends is simply going up to someone they don’t know and introducing themselves. There are a number of things you can do to help with this. Firstly, helping them develop a small list of conversation starters… “Hi, my names Tom. What’s yours? What do you like to do on weekends? Do you like Lego? Do you like doing outdoors activities like camping and fishing? What do you like to do for fun?” It can also help to practise acting out these scenarios at home with a parent playing the role of the new friend. This way, your child will be less nervous when introducing themselves as this is something they will have rehearsed.

#4: PLAYDATES

Some children can have difficulty making friends within the schooling environment or struggle speaking up in group settings. Giving your child the chance to make friends away from that environment can be a successful next step. Encourage your child to invite their peers over on the weekends or arrange a small group to meet at a location. You can even help them brainstorm activities to do, for example, going to the movies, a day at the beach, park play, going to the skate park, going shopping for video games etc.

#5: ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP TRYING

Let’s face it… our kids may not always have the best patience. But it’s important that we instil in them the importance of patience when it comes to making friends as many kids can get discouraged when they’ve had a few unsuccessful attempts. Some children can take this as a sign that there is something wrong with them, or that no-one wants to be their friend. However, we all know that we can’t be friends with everyone, and it’s important that we let our children know that their personality isn’t always going to be compatible with everyone. The best thing you can do as a parent in this situation is make sure your child knows they are unique, interesting, and special in their own way, and if they just be themselves, they will make friends who truly appreciate them for themselves.

If you have noticed your child struggling to make friends or build connections and you’d like some support, why not give us a call today? Our team of highly skilled and well-experienced Psychologists are here to help.  Call us now and take the next step towards supporting your child’s mental health.

How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:

• Contact us directly by calling 07 4972 6929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
• Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
• Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
• Visit our website and complete a ‘Request an Appointment’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/

Author: Tom Grainger

Provisional Psychologist