How to Help Your Child Make Friends: Social Skills to Last a Lifetime

Want to learn more about how to help your child make friends? At every age, children vary greatly in how they make friends, keep friends and handle challenges such as conflict, bullying, rejection or bad influence. So, to what extent can effective, positive social skills be taught? And what is the appropriate role of parents in helping children build these important life skills? Camie Christensen, former Program Director at St. David’s Center for Child and Family Development, brings wisdom and practical strategies to this week’s lively and heartfelt discussion of how to help your child make friends and be a friend.   HOW WILL YOU HELP YOUR CHILD MAKE FRIENDS? How does your child usually approach other children when meeting them for the first time? What challenges has your child faced in getting along with peers? What ideas did you hear in this Mom Enough discussion about how you might help your child strengthen his or her social skills?   WANT TO LEARN MORE? ❉ GIRLS & AGGRESSION: POSSIBLE CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES AND TIPS FOR PREVENTION. Watch Dr. Marti Erickson with KARE 11 News’ Ellery McCardle discuss 5 tips on what parents, educators and other caring adults can do to prevent relational aggression.   ❉ HELPING OUR CHILDREN BUILD SELF-COMPASSION: KEYS TO KINDNESS, GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. Dr. Shilagh Mirgain, a health and sport psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, discusses how to help your children develop compassion for themselves and others, recognizing the common humanity, vulnerability and imperfection we all share.   ❉ FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON BULLYING: A “STICKS AND STONES” CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR EMILY BAZELON. Discover what we should do to support a deeper understanding of – and more effective response to – bullying in this podcast with author Emily Bazelon, Senior Editor of Slate and frequent guest on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report.

Om Podcasten

Dr. Marti Erickson, developmental psychologist and her daughter Dr. Erin Erickson, women’s health nurse practitioner and specialist in maternal-child health, are co-hosts of Mom Enough®. They explore the many facets of motherhood in today’s world – from confronting the daily joys and struggles of helping kids grow up well, to balancing work and family, to considering the big questions of how society views and values mothers and mothering. Marti & Erin use research-based information and a few personal confessions as they and their guests discuss what it means to be "mom enough." As moms, most of us worry at times about whether we're doing things right, second-guessing our parenting approach and blaming ourselves if our children stray or fall short. We worry that we might not be "mom enough". But what does it really mean to be "mom enough"? And is it possible to be "mom too much," to the extent that our kids might not have a chance to build their own skills to navigate life's ups and downs? A new, free audio show is posted every Monday with expert guests who address topics related to children’s heath, development and learning. Listen to Mom Enough at www.MomEnough.com. Informational sheets on parenting, health & wellness, child development and safety are available under Resources on our web site.