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Tips to help your child develop good friendships

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Talk to your child about friendships and share memories of your childhood friends. Let them know that friendships are important and worth the effort.

Trust her to make informed decision about her friends

Welcome her friends into your home. As they get older, trust your instincts if you feel a child is not a good influence. Unless you feel there’s a possibility of your child getting into real trouble, it is usually best to allow an objectionable friendship to run its course.

Never show up your child in front of his friends

Don’t push a shy child into uncomfortable situations. Encourage informal, positive, rewarding social interactions.

Don't interfere too much

Don’t interfere too much in your child’s friendships. Let her sort them out wherever possible. Sadness, betrayal and heartache are an integral part of life and being too over-controlling a parent will deny her important life experiences.

Listen

What you can do is listen sympathetically to what your child is going through. There are times where you do need to intervene, but usually do this in consultation with your child’s teacher.

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