The Power of Good Conversation
Are you feeling concerned because your child is having a hard time making friends? You're not alone.
I talk with parents in this similar situation all the time:
“My child has a hard time making friends. They want to have friends or they think they have friends, but they don’t ever have any plans after school or get invited to things…Maybe I just have to enroll them in some activities or clubs so they find other kids with similar interests…”
Often, parents think their child's struggle to make friends is caused by things like spending too much time alone or not being part of extracurricular activities/clubs.
While these factors may play a role, there's still a missing piece to the puzzle — GOOD CONVERSATION.
It’s hard to make and keep friends without good conversation skills.
Kids who struggle with social skills won’t make friends just by being around other kids in class or clubs. There are hidden rules that some kids have a hard time picking up on, so they need to learn these skills first before they can apply them in the real world to help them make friends.
A research study by Hall (2019) found that good conversation skills are the key to creating strong and lasting friendships.
Good conversation skills—like asking questions, listening attentively, and responding thoughtfully—are the building blocks of meaningful connections. They help us connect with others on a deeper level, understand their perspectives, and show them that we care.
The best part is that anyone can learn and use these skills with some guidance and practice!
You can help your child learn these important conversation skills. Encourage them to ask questions, listen carefully, and share their thoughts and feelings. By teaching them that conversations build friendships, you can guide your child to build strong, meaningful relationships that can lead to a happy and fulfilling life.
Just remember, building great friendships takes time.
By helping your child with their conversation skills, you're setting them up to develop lasting friendships that can make them feel connected and give them a sense of belonging.