Helping Your Child Fit In
Any new social scene can be really tough. Having all new classmates, joining a brand-new group of kids on a soccer team, transferring to a new school, going away to camp alone and most of all moving isn’t easy. And oh how kids can pour on the guilt to remind us they’re not happy campers: “You’re ruining my life!” “Why are you sending me to that dumb old school?” “Why can’t we move back to our old neighborhood? Do you have any idea how unhappy you made me?”
Knowing that our kids are lonely, feel left out, and desperately miss their old group is tough. As much as we’d love to, we can’t instantly wipe away our their pain because their best friends are left behind and they can’t fit in with the new crowd. But we can ease their discomfort by making the transition a bit smoother. We can help them find ways to make new friends. And we even can teach them new friendship making skills that actually may be ones they can use in other social arenas. So think positively, and stay focused on what you can do to boost your child’s friendship quotient and get him through this tough time.
We were lucky. We didn’t have to move until both of our kids were finished school, but if the circumstances had been different, it sure would have been nice to have a little help.
Tags: friendships, making-friends, new-schoolRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Dad to the Rescue, Mom to the Rescue, Weary Parent
1 opinion for Helping Your Child Fit In
jan
Jun 9, 2006 at 7:46 pm
You have good information on your blog and it is well presented. We moved when my daughter was just starting high school and my son was going into junior high. That wasn’t as horrendous as it might have been because it was new for everyone in their class.
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