The summer is almost here, and it is a time that children and teens (and us adults 😉 ) have the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and build new relationships. Not everyone is born with the skill and courage to initiate conversations and friendships, but all of us can learn it and do it. Here is a sample red and green picture to help explain the skill to students. The key is practice! Have students practice initiating with friends and family to become comfortable doing it with new people as well.
Red and Green Strategy:
Here is a sample red and green picture to help explain the skill to students. The key is practice! Have students practice initiating with friends and family to become comfortable doing it with new people as well.
I’ve got a question for you! Since social norms are sometimes so different among different schools and communities, what might be a “normal” way to initiate in one school or camp might be considered “weird” in another community. If we want our children and students to fit in, it’s important to find out what’s considered “normal” among their friends, and then practice accordingly. So, how do children and teens in your community initiate friendships? Please share what you learn and I’ll post your ideas next week so that we can all benefit. When you email me back, please also indicate the ages of the children and whether they were boys or girls.