Friendships
Being Popular
It's a good idea to have conversations with a child about what it means to be popular. Girls in their early teens often worry too much about popularity. read more
Boys and Their Friends
Boys and Their Friends Boys, like girls, crave connection and belonging. Like all of us, boys need friends, suffer when they don't believe they have any, and agonize over the ups and downs of relationships. Many adults believe that somehow boys need friends less than girls do; the myth of the stoic male has intruded even into childhood. read more
Cliques and Fitting In
Cliques and Fitting In(Brought to you by National PTA) A Chicago mom confesses that her beautiful sixth-grade daughter cries in her room nightly, afraid she won't look right tomorrow and she will lose her standing in her group at school. A teacher in Lake Placid, New York, reports that her smart 13-year-old son announced, "Mom, I'm going to fail that science test tomorrow. I just have to, or I won't have any friends." read more
Daughter Has No Close Friends
If a child is physically attractive, makes excellent grades, and is liked by her peers, does it matter that she has no close friends, or any one special friend? read more
Daughter Ignored by Best Friend
This is one of the normal and very painful developmental experiences of young teens. read more
Daughter Spends Too Much Time Alone
What can you do to encourage a child to make real friends and take part in social activities? read more
Daughter Wants a Best Friend
Children can get upset when they don't have a "best" friend. You can help. read more
Daughter Wants to Hang Out at the Mall
Is it unreasonable to forbid an 11-year-old from hanging out at the mall unsupervised with kids you don't know well, and/or without the presence of an adult? read more
Dealing with Puppy Love
At age 10, kids are usually involved in best friend relationships, not in exclusive boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. read more
Does Special Ed Seventh-Grader Need More Friends?
Special education students make friends in regular school fairly easily, but make sure that the school doesn't tolerate teasing, harassing, or bullying of any kind. read more
Domineering Friends
Find out what to do when the boy next door steals your child's friends excludes him from the group. read more
Eleven-Year-Old Has Withdrawn from Classmates
Here's some advice on steps to take when your child suddenly withdraws from others in school. read more
Feeling Left Out
Making friends away from school may be a good way to keep a child from feeling left out. read more
Forgetting to Hand in Homework?
Students in the middle grades often have one of two reasons for not handing in assignments: lack of organization, or a fear that success will lead to "not fitting in." read more
Fourth-Grader Has No Close Friends
If your son wants to make them, those friendships will come naturally. read more
Friendship Fears
What can you do to help your child with friendship problems? read more
Friendships for Fifth Grader
Some children don't need to have intense, close friendships to be happy. read more
Gifted Girl Needs Friends
A lack of social skills is one of the most heart-wrenching problems for many gifted children. read more
Gifted, but Wants to Stay with Her Friends
It's not a good idea for a child to reject a gifted program at another school for social reasons. read more
Help Your Kids Make New Friends
Help Your Kids Make New FriendsOn the Menu: Talking About Making Friends For Ages: Six and up THE SCENENine-year-old Kevin loves watching his favorite TV program, but tonight he's barely paying attention. After some prodding, he finally shares the bad news: His best friend Eric won't be attending the summer basketball program with him after all. "I won't know anyone there," he says. "I don't want to go." read more
Help! I Don't Like My Teen's Friend
We raise our kids to make good choices, whether it's what to eat or wear, and their wise choice of friends. Then the teen years hit and, along with them, teen behavior. Some kids sail smoothly through these years, but sometimes they need a little guidance when it comes to choosing friends. Teens aren't mature enough to see what adults do. So what if you don't care for your teen's friend? read more
Helping a Sensitive Child
Most young children are sensitive and worry about making friends, but when these feelings become a problem you can help. read more
Helping Children Make Friends
Helping Children Make Friends"I want him to be accepted and well-liked by other children." "Friends: that's what's important!" "I just want her to be happy and enjoy school." read more
Helping Son with Grief Process
A young teen needs some skilled, compassionate therapy after losing his best friend to leukemia. read more
Helping Your Child Make Friends
Helping Your Child Make Friends Preschoolers make friends quickly and intensely. To your three-year-old, a "friend" is anyone who is willing to play with her the way she wants to play at the moment. It could be someone she sees every day in the neighborhood or at day care. But it could just as well be someone she meets just once while playing in the park or playground or children's museum. read more
Hero Worship
When your child latches on to a friend and tries to emulate her, it may be time to help her establish her own identity. read more
Is My Son Too Popular?
A mother is unhappy that kids are constantly coming to her house to play with her son. read more
