Can You Teach A Child To Make Friends?
A child can be taught to make friends by helping him be a good friend. This tongue twister may well serve as a guide for many of the mothers who educate their children on the importance of social relationships. It is not easy, in this century of individualism and competition, to find a true friend in our fellow men, but it can be done.
In this text we guide you on how to teach your child to make friends.
The first friends
Your child’s first friends are inanimate objects. They are those dolls that you put in the fold, in the crib and on the floor to entertain him and improve his motor skills.
The first friends are bought and not chosen, the parents take care of those tasks.
Although some other person may think that toys cannot be considered as friends, in terms of company and emotional stimulation, there is no one who wins them.
Best Friends
The best friends of a child are his parents, although many times he does not know it. Mom and Dad are the ones who will support, advise, forgive, and not let you down. Quality of friends like the parents themselves does not exist in the world.
There are also very good friends that a child makes as he interacts with the world around him.
In the nursery they can become friends; also in the park, the zoo, the beach …; but these first friends, although we call them that way to teach them what friendship is, they cease to be their friends as soon as they leave the place where they are.
When you are 1 or 2 years old, friends fluctuate a lot.
Another group of best friends are the so-called “imaginary.” Characters that only the child sees and with whom, mom has to carry even to go on vacation. Those are wonderful friends.
Already, when the child begins to grow and find affinity in terms of character or tastes, it is when he begins to make true friends. People you will be looking for to chat, play games, and hang out with.
Can you teach a child to make friends?
For a child to learn to make friends, the teaching and support they have received from their family is worth a lot.
If mother criticizes her classmates, reminds her that they do not belong to her social status, or discriminates against them because of their race, religion and culture… it is difficult for the child to establish a true friendship with someone.
Another point to keep in mind is that the teaching of what friendship is must start from an early age. Children must be taken out of the house so that they can interact with other children so that they can feel comfortable with them.
Socialization during childhood is the foundation of an adult life surrounded by friends.
What values to instill in a child so that he learns to make friends?
You can teach a child to make friends by teaching them, from an early age, the importance of friendship. You have to show him that he should share toys and snacks, not hit others, bite them or pull their hair; but to be affectionate and help them.
When he is older, when he goes to school, he will add values such as sincerity, affection, support and empathy.
You must instill in your child that he becomes friends by finding a balance in character, it does not matter if he disagrees on this or another issue, the fundamental thing is to reach an agreement and show the differences with respect.
Friends are forgiven. A good friend of his will be the one who forgets his fault and does not keep saving it for when he needs to remind him. Friends are not “hit back”, they are forgiven for their mistake and talked about openly.
Between friends there can be no aggressiveness, selfishness, intolerance, or conflicts that lead to the detriment of the relationship.
Knowledge of this type should be instilled in your child as he grows up and according to the relationships he has.
The years will take away and put many friends in his wake. Some will last a lifetime, others will eventually be forgotten.
Every time your child begins to make friends, he will share experiences of all kinds: good and bad, which will help him to differentiate between a good friend and a colleague, an acquaintance, a neighbor, a work colleague, an accomplice …
You will have to be by his side to explain each of these categories and point out, when necessary, who he is and is not his friend.
