Parenting: Does Your Child Need Help Making Friends?

Making friends is a social skill; something kids learn, or perhaps struggle to learn. How can you tell if your child needs help?

FOX’s Lisa Brady has part one of a two-part ‘FOX on Family’ about friendship:

A big part of growing up is learning how to make-and keep-friends and that can be challenging:

(Dr. Kennedy-Moore) “Some kid may have trouble reaching out, because they’re kind of shy. Another kid may not be so good at picking up on signals when other kids find them annoying and someone else might have trouble maybe forgiving a friend.”

But psychologist and mother-of-four, Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore says be careful about intervening, especially in a friend feud. Today’s blowup can blow over tomorrow:

(Dr. Kennedy-Moore) “We gotta walk next to the roller coaster not on it.”

To figure out if your child needs help making friends ask a question:

(Dr. Kennedy-Moore) “Does your child have someone to sit with and chat with at lunch; someone who your child likes who likes them back?”

She says a lot of friends isn’t necessary but having someone is important, part of a child’s sense of identity and it can help them be more engaged in school, cope with family stress and be happier in general.

So she urges parents to make friendship a priority. Tips next week on how to help.

With Fox on Family, I’m Lisa Brady.

Doctor Eileen Kennedy-Moore is a mom, psychologist and author of six books. Her latest is ‘Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends, which explores the five developmental stages of learning about friendship. She also has a new website, DrFriendtastic.com, offering friendship advice for kids.