Helping Your Kid Make Friends

Article By Kidsgoal.com

Having friends is an important way for children to learn social skills. We all want our children to develop lasting friendships but if your child is a bit shy and seems reluctant to make friends sometimes a little help from Mom or Dad is in order.

If your child is on the shy side try helping them by providing positive social interactions without making them feel awkward or pushed. Play dates or other social interactions should be encouraged. This will give your child a chance to hone his social skills and increase his/her confidence.

We can't choose our children's friends so ask your child who he/she likes spending time with at school and contact the child's parents to suggest a get- together. Start by inviting one child over and keep the time short to start with. One or two hours is enough time to get to know each other. Any longer and they may start to squabble.

Make sure to provide games and activities for your child that he enjoys and is good at. This will help ensure that your child is comfortable and confident. Make a few suggestions but let your child pick the activity before the play date. It is a good idea to stay involved with your child and his potential pal. Don't just leave them alone and hope it all works out. You can supervise a cooking or craft project but allow the children to do as much on their own as possible. If your child is uncomfortable with you always being underfoot respect his/her wishes but be available if there are any conflicts or they become bored and want to change the activity.

Try to arrange regular play dates with the same children. If things go really well you can suggest an outing such as going to a movie or some other activity. When your child is comfortable you can suggest that he or she has a play date at his/her friends house. Let your child know that you are only a phone call away and they can come home anytime.

It also helps to play with your child on a regular basis. It will give you an idea where your child's strengths are and where he or she may struggle. Your child may we awesome at video games but may have a hard time playing checkers or doing puzzles. These activities may frustrate your child and should not be included in a play date.

Try to find out what the flavour of the month is. Most children are often into some kind of fads such as certain trading cards or a special video game that everyone must have. The latest trend may not thrill you but it offers great bonding material and gives them something in common to talk about while they are forming a friendship.

It is also very important to talk to your child's teacher about any concerns you may have and have and work together on strategies to help your child make friends. Offer to volunteer in the classroom to get a good idea how your child interacts with his/her peers.

Most importantly try not to expect too much from your child. Never make your child feel like they are being forced to make friends. When a child is shy too much pressure can make a child feel even more insecure. Try not to focus on it and allow friendships to develop naturally. In most cases shyness and problems making friends for children is normal. But If your child constantly avoids eye contact, seems withdrawn or avoids children all together it is time to talk to your family Doctor.

10 Tips For Better Grades In Class

Parental Involvement Is the Answer
Study after study has shown that parental involvement is the number-one determinant of how well all children -- regardless of their background -- do in school. Here are ten ways you can help your kids succeed in the classroom -- and beyond.

1. Create an environment in your home that encourages learning.
This will be a major influence on how well your children do in school. Provide them with many different opportunities to become excited about learning. Make sure that appropriate materials from puzzles to paints to computers are available to stimulate their curiosity.

2. Provide your children with a well-balanced life.
A stable home, filled with love, serves as a solid foundation for getting straight A's. Establish routines so your children get enough sleep, eat regular nourishing meals, and receive sufficient exercise. Limit excessive TV-viewing and the playing of video and computer games.

3. Read to your children every day.
Most of the learning your children do in school involves reading. Read to your kids to teach them about reading, expand and enrich their vocabularies, and broaden their experiences. Reading aloud exposes them to materials that would be difficult for them to read on their own.

4. Encourage them to read extensively.
As your children progress through school, as much as 75 percent of what they learn will come from the printed page. The more children read, the better their reading skills become. Make sure there is a wide variety of interesting reading materials in your home to encourage the reading habit.

5. Show your children how to be organized.
Children who are organized find it much easier to succeed in school. One of the best ways to teach organizational skills is through example. Show your children how to use such organizational tools as assignment pads, calendars, notebooks, binders, and backpacks.

6. Teach them effective study skills.
Good study skills are absolutely essential to get A's. Make sure your children know how to read their textbooks, prepare for tests, memorize facts, and use their time efficiently. Encourage them to have a regular time for studying, and provide a study place that is free of distractions.

7. Urge your children to listen and participate in class.
Listening in class is the easy way for children to learn. Advise your older children to take notes, which will help them concentrate on what is being said. Encourage your children to participate in class -- it will greatly increase their interest in what they're learning.

8. Help your children learn how to tackle homework.
Doing homework reinforces what your children learn in school. Show them how to do it so that homework quickly becomes their responsibility. Help them learn what assignments to do first and how to plan their time. Encourage them not to rush through their homework but to consider every assignment a learning experience.

9. Talk to your children about school.
Your children spend hours in school every day. A lot can happen during that time. Show that you are genuinely interested in their day by asking questions about what they did and talking with them about the papers they bring home. When problems occur, work with your kids to find solutions.

10. Develop a good relationship with your children's teachers.
Good communication between home and school helps children do well in school and makes it easier to address problems. Be sure to attend parent-teacher conferences, visit your kids' classrooms, and volunteer to help their teachers. And don't forget to express your appreciation to teachers for all that they do for your children.

Talking to Your Kids About Building Wealth

The primary task of parenting (besides loving, of course) is preparing your kids for independence. You teach them about life and give them the tools and the wisdom to make the most of their talents and their opportunities.
It's easy when they're young. "Look both ways before crossing the street." "Study hard." "Do your best." But as your kids get older, the issues get more challenging -- sex, drugs, and alcohol come to mind -- and the conversations get a lot more difficult.
Yet too few parents are having the one conversation that's vitally important to their children's future, and which -- when compared to talks about sex or drugs -- is surprisingly easy to begin: The one about building wealth.

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