Making friends is one of the fundamental skills that your child must learn at a young age. Whether they make friends at school or at the park, teaching them these simple rules to make friends will ensure that they grow up with great values and principles for interacting with other people

Always be kind

First and foremost, kindness is an important value to teach your child, not just for making friends but for living life in general. Being kind entails caring for other people’s feelings and wellbeing and developing one’s self in a positive manner but benefits not just themselves but other people as well. People who are kind are bound to make good friends wherever they go. Kindness is something every person should learn and teach your kid this value as early as possible will make everything else that follows come naturally.

Learn to share

“Sharing is caring” has never been more appropriate. It may be difficult for some kids to learn the value of sharing, especially when it comes to things that mean a lot to them, like a toy or tasty snack. But sharing is fundamental to making friends because it shows care and trust for one another. You can start teaching your kid how to share through little acts of discipline at home, like not hogging the TV remote and leaving some food for the rest of the family. Besides sharing material objects, sharing also entails giving one’s time and attention to a friend. By actively spending time with your child, they can learn this aspect of sharing as well.

Making friends at a young age is an important skill

 Play with them

Playtime in our childhood is where many lifelong friendships began. Playing games is natural for any child’s cognitive and social development, and sharing these activities with other kids is one of the best ways to strengthen their relationship with friends. It’s also a great way for your child to learn patience and empathy since there will be times when playtime can lead to arguments and misunderstandings between children. Being there during your child’s early experiences of playing with other kids will let you teach them not to fight with their playmates and instead practice good values such as prudence, mindfulness, and compassion.

Communicate

It’s important for a child to learn basic communication skills for interacting with other children and making friends. Some kids may find it difficult to talk at first, especially when they are feeling shy and timid around others. You can teach shy kids how to openly communicate with other people by actively encouraging them, accompanying them for their early interactions with other kids, and giving them as much time and patience as they need to start approaching people by themselves. You should also teach your child that listening is just as important as talking when it comes to making friends. And remember that communication is a two-way system: if some kids don’t want to talk to your child, it’s not their fault. Help them not to be discouraged and let them know that there will be other kids who will really enjoy being friends with them.

Making social connections is one of the most important things in life. Teaching your child to make friends at an early age will greatly help them build strong support systems and friendships that will last a long time.

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