Chaplain's Chat

Hi everyone,

Its almost Easter Holidays and so many kids I've been talking to this week are excited and ready for the break! The kids are mostly excited about having more time to spend with their friends and family over the holidays.

Having friends is an essential part of a healthy childhood, and vital for good development. Good social skills and a large group of friends not only helps children feel good but its also very important for school success. Strong friendships are important for self-esteem and sense of belonging.

Having friends doesn’t happen naturally for some kids, most need a little bit of help and guidance on how to make friends, share with them and cooperate. So, if your child is a bit shy or having trouble making friends, here are a few things you can do to help!

First, start up a positive discussion around friends, talk about how great it is and how it can make us feel good. Friends are those who say nice things, play with us and care about us. If the conversation goes well, start practicing good skills

Role play: Practice scenarios where they can ask to join a game, or ask a friend to join them. Smile and say, “Hi my name is ____, whats yours? Encourage your kids to act friendly and open and then practice how to do it so it’s less scary when they try it at school. Think of good, friendly and polite questions they can use to break the ice.
Role model: Show your children what it is to be a good friend, play games and read stories that emphasise sharing, patience and other important skills.
Outside activities: Sports and other activities outside of school are a great way of making friends with shared interests! Ask your children what they want to play, and encourage them to try it even if it’s a bit scary.
Compliments: Giving compliments is a wonderful way to make friends, and can become a skill for life. Teach your kids what compliments are and show examples of why we might do it. For example, “If I said your drawing was really good, would that make you happy? Can you think of something you could say that would make your friends happy?
Find and accept their group: A child’s natural personality and temperament will mean they will have things they prefer. Help them find a club, sport or activity where they can meet like-minded kids, let them seek out people who they naturally mesh with. When they find a place they belong they can find others who belong with them.

The most important thing to emphasize to your child is that they can always count on their family for friendship and support. Knowing they have an ally in you, no matter what, can keep kids going during tough times at school especially when friends get tough.

Angelique Vardis