There are many reasons why a child in school may not have friends. A child who has just moved to a new school district may simply need time to establish a social footing. However, other things can also keep a child from making friends. Extreme shyness and low self-esteem, high intelligence, poor social skills, marked differences between the child and his or her peer group, and learning disabilities can make it difficult to form friendships.
Some children suffer from painful shyness. Even in the presence of children they know well enough, they may be hesitant to comment or participate. Teachers can help the shy child by praising him when he chooses to participate. Parents can also help by establishing playdates in a neutral setting with another child. Alternatively, your child may feel safer in their home territory, and a play date at your home may offer a less crowded way to get to know other children.
Highly intelligent children may also have a hard time making friends. Their intelligence, especially in verbal language, can make it difficult for other children to understand. However, there is usually more than one child in a class with high intelligence. Pairing two very verbal children can be a great way to help children establish friendships. Teaching them social skills, such as actually listening to another’s reactions and responding appropriately, can also help your very verbal child make friends more easily.
Sometimes children lag behind in social development and simply lack the skills needed to make friends. Learning to be a friend and learning skills like listening, sharing, and cooperating can help the friendless child. However, sometimes these children can take time to learn and develop social skills.
Pairing them with a younger classmate or a student a year or two below the student can help your child gain confidence and be more prepared to make friends with kids their age. Schools often help children who lack social skills by forming friendship groups. Participating in these groups, especially with other children, can be a great way to enhance social development.
A child with distinct physical differences may not even have any friends. Other children may think of children with significant health problems that limit their participation in school activities as “strange” or “different.” A child with a facial disfigurement might also be viewed as a stranger. Children tend to gravitate towards other children who are like them. It can be helpful to look for children in school who are particularly sensitive and less likely to discriminate based on appearance or ability. These children can become potential best friends for a child facing the challenges of being “different.”
Learning disabilities can also mark a child as different. A child whose hyperactive behavior often gets him into trouble may be seen as having limited potential to make friends. Children who struggle in school and display emotional responses such as crying, especially when they are boys, may also have limited access to friends because of their behavior. Teaching these children social skills is again important, and pairing them with other students with less social panache can also be helpful.
Especially in elementary schools, students spend a lot of their time socially engaging with each other. The friendless child may feel distant, alone, and separated from the crowd when there are no friends to include them. This can manifest itself in depression at home, disinterest in school, and a lack of desire to learn. So the friendless child needs help from parents and school. Even a friend to see when you get to school can have a significant impact on how a child views education and how a child develops into an adult socially.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
