Making new friends

Its the first day of school, and your child doesnt know anyone.  They are scared and nervous and dont know what to expect.  Give them some help finding friends.  If you are taking them into their classroom on the first day, introduce them to the children sitting next to them.  Teachers often put nametags on the desks so you can let your child know the names of the kids sitting by them.  After you tell them the kids name, ask them to repeat it back.  If your child cooperates, have them say hi to the other child and tell them their name.

Making new friends are basic social skills that get better with practice.  Help your child develop these skills in other areas such as play lands and parks.  Then when it comes time to make new friends in a classroom, your child has overcome the shyness that is associated with talking to new children.

If you have a child that is really shy, help them to meet new friends by telling other children what your childs name is and asking for theirs.  You can then introduce the two children and try to get your child to say hello.

As your kids find new friends in their classroom, give them opportunities to play outside of school.  If possible, plan playdates for after school and take turns at each house.  Weekends might be a good time to have friends come and play.  Have a few activities available that they can do so they do not get bored.

A new trend is to make business cards for your children with their name and phone number on them.  They can give them out to friends that they would like to play with.  This is really great for small children that might not know their phone number too.