Making Friends with Friendship Frog
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. I remember this from when I was a Girl Scout. That was in elementary school where I met one of my best friends who she and I are still best buds today.
How do children make friends and build lasting friendships? When a child is a toddler most likely their sibling or even you, the adult is their friend. This is a good place to begin teaching a child the value of friendships. For example, your child probably trusts you and wants to be with you. Isn’t that what a good friendship is?
If you were to ask your child what they think it means to be a friend, they may just tell you that a friend is someone they can count on and that they like playing with. Same concept. As a child grows, they will certainly learn who their good friends are, who they can trust, who are honest and who they enjoy spending time with and who brings out the best in them.
How can you help your child make friends?
Encourage play dates so your child spends time with their peers if they are in school. If not, engage them with your friends’ children or their cousins.
Find opportunities for your child to get involved with a team sport, or club or group activity. Help them choose something that is of interest to them so that they continue with it. Here they will find children who find interest in the same activities and will help form friendships.
It is important for children to be with other children. They will learn compassion, they will build their communication skills, their social and emotional skills and they just may find a lifelong friend in the journey.
Ask yourself these questions:
Does my child take turns or are they a bully?
Does my child share or are they a bully?
Does my child play nice with other children?
Does my child communicate well with others?
Does my child try new activities or are they stuck in
If any of these are questionable, you can address them before engaging your children in social situations rather easily.
How?
First, keep the lines of communication open between the two of you. Allow them to express their thoughts and feelings.
Be aware of your child’s behaviors in different social settings and in a loving way simply correct them. If they are not taking turns, let them know that is how the game is played, or how the line moves forward, or we all learn together when we take turns and share.
Ask them questions about their friends and get to know them, too.
Read books on friendship.
Be a role model.
Talk with your children about friendship. Ask them what they think friends can do together. Let them know that you can have more than one friend, you may have a best friend, but you can have more than one friend. What if a child is by themselves, can your child include others? Assuming you know the group of children, encourage your child to invite others to join their activity. Have fun telling your children the things that friends can and should do together!
Friends can sing together, swing together and even make things together!
Friends can go on walks, have long talks and even draw with colored chalks together!
Friends can bake together; rake leaves together and even share a refreshing shake together!
Friends can laugh together, read together, do home together and even roam the yard together!
Friends can find bugs, give hugs and always feel loved together.
TELL me and I forget. TEACH me and I remember. INVOLVE me and I learn. Benjamin Franklin