“A better future for every child.” – That is the theme for Children’s day 2022, and this demonstrates the hope for the future generation, our children.
Ever since the advent of smartphones, in-person interactions have taken a back seat. People have started to prefer telephonic conversations to direct meetings. Right from schools to offices, “virtual” has been the keyword. This word has gained even more prominence ever since the world was hit with COVID.
So, what effect has this had on modern-day children?
Children have had most of their schooling through virtual means in the last two years. Online classes and tests have been the norm. Ever since the situation has turned to normalcy, students have been instructed to come to school.
Well, since it’s been a long gap, and we elders ourselves struggle to immediately cope with direct meetings from the rather convenient virtual meets, our students are definitely going to face similar issues. This blog is for all the parents who are thinking about ways to help their children make friends.
The Importance of Friendship
Friends are an important part of any individual’s life. They play a critical role in the social and emotional development of a person. In fact, it is through friends (after parents and teachers) that we learn how to interact, communicate and express our emotions with other people. Also, it is often said that kids with friends tend to be happier and more adjusting than those who don’t.
Without friends, children feel isolated and lonely. Having a friend to talk to can make a big difference in any person’s life. Children who have strong friendships tend to come out successful in both school and personal life. So, it is important for us to encourage our children to build and develop healthy friendships.
Let us take a look at a few pointers that will help us build friendship skills in our children.
Encourage your children to socialise more
Always encourage your children to socialise more. Friendships help an individual to evolve in different stages of their life. If your child is an introvert, then start giving them the confidence they need and take them out for parties and get-togethers and encourage them to actively interact with the people around. A great way to do so is by setting a good example for your child by being social yourself. Talk to your children about great friendship stories and help them understand how interacting with others and making friends can positively influence our lives.
Teach them the art of complimenting others
“A simple compliment can go a long way.”
When your child has some good things to say about a person, encourage them to do so immediately. When your child learns the art of complimenting others, they will then start to see the positives in them and also express appreciation. This is a much-needed skill for making friends and maintaining healthy relationships.
Encourage sharing
“Sharing is caring”
This is a life skill. Being able to openly express how we feel about a situation or person is critical for any individual. Healthy friendships are always about sharing and expressing our thoughts freely and openly. We need to encourage our children to understand the concept of sharing and help them practise it on a daily basis. You need to let your children know that sharing is a win-win situation for both yourself and the other person involved. To encourage this quality, reward your children with sweets or a drive to the nearest cafe whenever they openly share their feelings with you.
Teach your kids empathy
Empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of another person and thinking from their point of view. It helps you understand and share the feelings of others. This is an important skill for building friendships. There are many ways through which you can encourage your children to develop empathy – the best way to do it is by showing empathetic behaviour yourself. When you show compassion and understanding towards others, your children will learn from you and start practising it.
Develop Good Communication skills
Communication skills are key to making quality friendships. Only if your child is able to communicate their feelings properly in the form of words, will they be able to build healthy relationships.
To build communications skills, try doing the following:
- Teach your child to be a good listener
- Encourage your child to ask the right questions
- Frequently interact with your child
- Help them when they stutter or find it difficult to express certain emotions
Let them join Neighbourhood Groups & Clubs
You need to encourage your children to be part of neighbourhood groups and clubs. This will give them an opportunity to interact with other kids with similar as well as diverse interests. This will eventually help them develop friendships.
Making friends is a critical part of child development. The friendships that one makes during their childhood will impact their entire life. While you encourage your children to develop friendships, also keep a close watch on how their behaviour and nature have evolved over time. This will help you guide your children in making the right friendship choices.
We really hope that the above-mentioned pointers help your children make long-lasting healthy friendships now and in the times to come. This could be the best thing you can gift your children on this special occasion of Children’s Day.
May the future always be brighter for our children ~ Happy Children’s Day! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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