How to Help Your Child Make Friends at a New School

By eHow Relationships & Family Editor

Rate: (13 Ratings)

It's hard to be the new kid, but here's how you can help your child survive and thrive in a new school.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1
Contact the new school as soon as you know your child will be attending. Ask for whatever suggestions or support the staff can offer to help your child connect with classmates.
Step2
Address your child's practical concerns with specifics. Brainstorm ways to handle particular situations, such as whom to sit with on the bus, whom to eat lunch with and how to remember all those names.
Step3
With a younger child, rehearse conversations she might have with a potential new friend. Suggest that your child approach a potential friend with a question or remark that will engage the person in an ongoing dialogue, which might lead to a conversation about a shared interest.
Step4
Encourage your child to join whatever clubs, teams or other groups relate to her interests.
Step5
Emphasize that making friends takes time. Celebrate small successes such as learning the names of all the girls in chemistry class or getting invited to someone's sleepover.
Step6
Be a good role model. Share with your child your own feelings about the family's recent move and how you are going about making your own new friends.
Step7
Be a good friend. Recognize that your child will need some extra support and understanding from you to make a successful transition.

Tips & Warnings

  • As the saying goes, make new friends, but keep the old. Encourage your child to keep in touch with friends from the old school or neighborhood by supplying her with stationery and stamps or an e-mail account.
  • Most new friendships take time to develop. If, however, your child seems to have made no progress toward establishing new relationships after a few months, consider talking with a family counselor.

Comments

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Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/15/2006 Find out what you can do to volunteer at the school. Getting to know some of the parents of the other children gives you an opportunity to get both your kids and their kids together at cookouts and other functions where they will be more at ease and able to get to know one another better.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/9/2006 Always be kind.
Share with everyone.
Cheer somebody up.
When they're hurt, help them.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 1) Be nice.
2) Be confident.
3) Smile and laugh.
4) Hang out once in a while.
5) Join a club or team activity.
6) Don't be afraid to talk to someone.
7) Be yourself.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Make sure your child is wearing something fashionable, it makes them look and feel better, not to mention boosting their confidence.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 When you are trying to make friends, seriously just smile. It will bring attention to you and make you a lot more inviting for people to talk to. It even catches the boys' eyes.

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