Friendships are an important part of growing up. They help children develop confidence, learn how to communicate, understand other people’s feelings and enjoy shared experiences. For some children, however, making new friends can feel difficult or worrying. Parents can play an important role by offering encouragement, guidance and a safe place to talk.
Help your child take the first step
Encourage your child to be friendly and welcoming. Simple actions such as saying hello, smiling, asking someone to play or joining in with an activity can be the beginning of a friendship. If your child is nervous, help them practise what they might say or do, without putting pressure on them.
Encourage kindness and listening
Healthy friendships involve give and take. Talk to your child about listening to others, taking turns, including people and thinking about how their words and actions might make someone else feel. Praise them when you notice them being kind, helpful or considerate.
Give friendships time to develop
Children do not need to be best friends with everyone. Some friendships grow quickly, while others take time. Encourage your child to spend time with different children and to enjoy shared interests such as sport, games, clubs or creative activities.
Help them manage disagreements
Arguments and misunderstandings are a normal part of friendships. Rather than solving every problem for your child, help them think about what happened and what they could say or do next. Encourage calm communication, such as, “I felt sad when…” or “Can we talk about what happened?”
Talk about healthy friendships
Help your child understand that a healthy friendship should make them feel safe, respected and able to be themselves. Friends may have different interests and opinions, but they should not regularly exclude, frighten, pressure or deliberately hurt one another.
Most importantly, keep the conversation open. Let your child know that they can talk to you about friendship worries without being judged. If a friendship problem is making them particularly unhappy or worried, reassure them that they do not have to deal with it alone and that they can ask a trusted adult for help.
Small acts of kindness, patience and encouragement can make a big difference. By modelling healthy relationships at home and giving children opportunities to connect with others, parents can help them develop friendships that are enjoyable, respectful and supportive.
More friendship tips to share with your son.
