*This is a collaborative post.
Making new friends can be challenging at any stage in a person’s life, but falls as a challenge for little ones as they may not have acquired the skills needed to do so. Building healthy relationships depends on a child’s skills and how well they can self-regulate. Most children struggle with making friends due to shyness or anxiety. As parents, there are acts that can be practiced with your child to help them respond better when put in these situations. Here are some top tips from a prep school in Shoreditch on helping your child make new friends.
Show your child respect
We grow up constantly being told to respect our elders, but respecting children is also vital when it comes to their emotional development and social behaviour. This can end up affecting the way they choose to build relationships later on in their life. If you raise your child with little warmth and an attempt to control them, they may end up developing behavioural issues, which leads to trouble making friends. Treat them with kindness and sympathy.
Provide a secure social space
If your child is not used to being around others outside of the family on a regular basis, this could lead to struggles when it comes to them attending nursery and making friends. Take them to the park regularly or playgroups where they know that they are in a safe and enjoyable environment. This will also give them a sense of familiarity when seeing different faces.
Teach your child how to communicate
Model good communication skills at home by engaging with them in pleasant conversations. You can start by discussing things with them and allowing them to listen. Once your child reaches an age where they can answer questions and bring up their own queries, together you can roleplay making friends. Children are learning at every stage of their development, this may seem simple and not effective, but rest assured, it will help them a lot in the long run.
