Top 4 Tips to Identify Your Child's Interests and Use Them to Make Friends

1. Making Friends - Help Your Child Identify Her Own Interests and Skills

Identifying your child's interests is an important first step in building a social network and making friends:

• Make a list of things your child chooses to do in her free time.
• Consider athletic ability. Does your child have a favorite sport?
• Is your child musically inclined?
• Does your child enjoy arts and crafts?

Gather information on programs related to your child's interests. Examples include your school's athletics department, local YMCA, youth organizations such as Girl and Boy Scouts, local parks and recreation agencies, church groups, Special Olympics, 4-H, and school clubs.

2. Encourage Your Child to Participate in New Activities

Once you've identified activities your child may enjoy, encourage her to participate while helping her to feel secure with it. If she is reluctant, make a deal with her to try an activity at least three times to see if it is something she would enjoy. For example, have her participate in three team practices or club meetings. Make a deal with her that if she she doesn't like it, she can try something else. Knowing that she can choose not to participate will help her feel more in control and perhaps less intimidated about trying new things.

3. Help Your Child Partner with a Pal When Trying Something New

Arrange for your child to try new activities with a sibling, friend, or another child. Facing new activities with someone else can reduce your child's anxieties. Further, both children will have more in common to talk about and share in the future. They will both increase their circles of friends. Be willing to share transportation duties with another parent to help children attend. If there is no other child available, try to be there yourself to help group leaders with activities. Be visible to your child, but encourage her to interact with others by using indirect methods of encouragement.