Miss Marg's
Mental Health Motivations
You are a valuable part of our TEAM
Friendship and understanding friendships is important. Over the next two newsletters I, along with my good friend Chat GPT will be giving some ideas to navigate the paths of friendships. Part 1 will be for adults supporting students and Part 2 will be for students.
For Adults: Supporting the Social Journey
As parents, it can be tough to watch your child navigate the natural ups and downs of school yard relationships. At primary school age, children are moving from "playmate" friendships (based on proximity and toys) to "conceptual" friendships (based on trust, shared values, and mutual support).
Here is how you can support your child's social coaching at home:
De-escalate the "Storms": When your child comes home upset about a peer dispute, help them label their feelings without immediately rushing to fix the problem. Remind them that conflict is a normal part of learning.
Coach, Don’t Manage: Ask open-ended questions like, "What do you think you could say next time you want a turn?" rather than calling the school or intervening directly for minor playground disagreements.
Celebrate Flexibility: It is entirely normal for primary school children to change friend groups as their own identities change. Encourage them to be kind to everyone, even if they aren't best friends with everyone.
