Help with making friends

It is the beginning of a new school year – the first few weeks are filled with excitement, energy and possibly a bit of anxiety, especially for the Grade Rs and Grade 1s who are starting their school careers in a new and foreign environment.

Making new friends in a class full of unknown faces can be daunting. “Having friends helps pupils feel more confident, they adapt easier and enjoy school more. It also has a positive effect on their academic lives,” says primary school principal of Riverside College, Lynne Arbuckle.

“Making friends can be intimidating, and some pupils can feel apprehensive and shy. Equipping your child with some basic new school survival skills can be useful.”

She suggests the following tips to help your child make new friends:

Start small – suggest your child introduces themselves to just one or two people. Those few people may be able to introduce your child to others from there. Don’t be scared – encourage your child to view making friends as something fun rather than intimidating. Try to get him excited about meeting new people and what he may learn from them.

Be kind – if your child is kind and friendly to others, chances are his classmates will notice and reciprocate it.

Be yourself – let your child know he is great just as he is, and he doesn’t need to change to make friends.

Be open-minded – encourage your child not to judge people, especially before he knows them properly. Many friendships have blossomed after initial bad impressions. – Living And Loving staff