The Secret to Making New Friends

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Friends are important! At times, your child may want to be alone and do things on his/her own and that is okay.  But, having friends helps your child learn cooperation, empathy, trustworthiness, respect, generosity, and compassion while making their life more fun. Having friends can make your child feel included, happy, loved, trusted, confident and worthy.    

It is not always easy to make new friends.  But here are some tips to help your child take the first steps. Encourage your child to:  

• Use words and phrases to invite others to play
• Invite someone over to play
• Use friendly words and behaviors, such as smiling, giving compliments, listening
• Show interest in others with words and actions

Relationships with friends can be difficult to manage at times.  In order to maintain healthy friendships it is important that children practice being kind, honest, fair, and openly expressing their feelings in positive ways.  Next month, the counseling topic will be managing emotions.  

Attached is a pamphlet for children about How to Make and Keep Friends.  A copy of this pamphlet can be picked up on the Counseling Bulletin Board.  

Thank- you

Carla Maia

Bobbie Neubern

Lower School Counselors