- Recognizing the causes of resistance is the key to understanding your child
- Building effective communication with your child
- Setting clear boundaries and consequences means we are laying the foundation for obedience
- Educational techniques supporting listening
- The role of empathy in the relationship with a child, or how empathy affects obedience
- The importance of consistency and praise in parenting – balance between discipline and support
- Examples and exercises to improve communication with your child
Relationships with peers are extremely important for a child’s development because they influence their self-esteem, independence and social skills. During childhood and early adolescence, a child learns how to build and maintain healthy and satisfying relationships with others. Parents’ support is crucial here because they help the child establish contacts and develop social skills.
Unfortunately, not all children establish easy and satisfying relationships with peers. Sometimes a child may have difficulty establishing contact, be shy or have communication problems. In such situations, parents may be confused and not know how to help their child.
In this article we will discuss how to recognize a child’s difficulties in establishing relationships with peers, how to help him and when it is not worth interfering. Thanks to our guide, parents will be able to support their child in developing healthy relationships with other children and strengthen their social competences.
How to recognize a child’s difficulties in establishing relationships with peers?
There are a number of symptoms that may indicate a child’s developing problems. If you are wondering whether your child may be affected by this problem, please read the list of the most common symptoms.
- Lack of interest in peers: If a child is not interested in other children, avoids them or does not want to play with them, it may be a sign that he or she has difficulty making connections.
- Lack of communication skills: A child who cannot properly express his or her thoughts and feelings may have difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships with peers.
- Social isolation: If a child spends a lot of time alone, without contact with peers, it may indicate difficulties in establishing relationships.
- Low self-esteem: A child who is unconfident and has low self-esteem may have difficulty connecting with peers.
- Difficulty resolving conflicts: A child who is unable to resolve conflicts and adapt to groups may have difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships with peers.
If parents notice the above signals in their child, it is worth paying attention to their relationships with peers and considering whether they need support in establishing contacts.
How to support a child in building relationships?
Helping a child build relationships with peers is an important task for parents. Parental support can help a child establish contacts and build lasting relationships with other children. Parents should support their child in developing their social skills and teaching them how to establish and maintain contacts with peers.
Forms of parents’ help:
- Supporting the child’s independence: Parents should allow the child to play independently with peers, which will allow him to develop his social skills.
- Participating in group activities: Parents should support the child in participating in group activities, such as sports, dance or theater, which will allow the child to establish contacts with peers.
- Modeling positive behavior: Parents should teach children through their own behavior how to establish and maintain relationships with peers.
- Social education: Parents should teach children how to establish and maintain relationships with other children, including how to deal with conflicts and misunderstandings.
When is it worth seeking specialist and psychological help:
If parents notice that their child still has difficulties establishing and maintaining relationships with peers, it is worth seeking specialist and psychological help. A specialist can help your child develop their social skills and learn how to establish lasting relationships with other children.
When is it not worth interfering?
When raising a child, it is important to maintain a balance between helping and allowing the child to be independent. Too much parental interference in a child’s life may introduce additional tensions and make it difficult for the child to learn how to cope with difficult situations.
Situations in which parents do not need to interfere:
- Situations typical of children’s competition and misunderstandings: Children often experience conflicts with peers, but they are a natural part of their development and learning to cope with difficult situations.
- Problems related to puberty: During adolescence, children often go through difficult relationships with peers, but this is not a reason for parental interference.
- Healthy boundaries: Children should have privacy and freedom in establishing relationships with peers, and parents should respect their boundaries and not interfere unless necessary for the child’s safety.
Summary
A child’s relationships with peers are an important element of his or her emotional and social development. Parents should be aware of the difficulties the child may have in establishing these relationships, such as shyness or problems with integrating into the group. In such situations, parents can help their child by providing support, talking, and enabling them to develop healthy relationships with other children. However, it is worth remembering that parental intervention is not always necessary and that some difficulties, such as typical childhood conflicts or problems related to puberty, are a natural element of a child’s development. In situations where difficulties persist and introduce additional problems, it is worth seeking help from a specialist, such as a therapist or psychologist. To sum up, parents should support the child in his relationships with peers, but at the same time allow him to be independent and not interfere too much in his life.
