Tips to help your child make friends We all know that friends are the family that we choose for ourselves. In early years the role of friends is not just limited to companionship and play. It stretches far beyond to the horizon of peer learning, feeling accepted and creating emotional attachment. Its is therefore imperative that we ensure our children have a healthy friendships and for this we can contribute in many ways Identify them- talk to your child’s teachers, make efforts to identify the names of the children your child is interacting with. He or she may or may no consider all of them as friends but having their names will help clarify that too.
Bring them in conversations- while playing at home or talking about the day, name the peers and friends of the child. You will realize that the children relae more to these conversations then.
Expression – often in artistic expression or while showing dance steps children tend to repeat what they did in class. Ask them who they have drawn or to draw the friend and what he or she did. While revising rhymes or dance steps become that friend and do a role play
Play dates- play dates are a very common but a very effective way of developing friendships at this age. While you as parents get an opportunity to widen your horizon and talk to like-minded adults sharing experiences, children can interact with their friends in a nonformal environment
Picture it – most schools these days have portals that display pictures of your children doing activities. Parents should use this tool effectively by taking out prints displaying them in the child’s room or any common area in the house. The relatedness to that friend and belonginess increases manifolds as the child sees these and shows them to all the guests that come to your house.