Helping a Lonely or Rejected Child

Article Highlights:

- When a child comes home saying, "no one likes me" or "everyone hates me," it is hard to tell the difference between temporary exclusion versus ongoing rejection

- Ask yourself questions about your own history.
Where did you stand in terms of popularity? What were your friendships like?

- Ask teachers what they see while observing your child interacting with peers or classmate

- Provide a variety of group opportunities.
Church groups, scouts, drama club, sports teams – these all provide a place for a child to make friends and gain acceptance

- Always intervene if one child is being made a scapegoat or being ostracized by the group.

- Help that child learn how to fit in and, more importantly, help the group be more empathic and kind.

- Give shy children a gentle push to try new social challenges.
They need support and encouragement, and to be pushed out of their "comfort zone." If a child is shy but would like to make a friend, invite over a classmate and the classmate’s parents; the kids will find the adults boring and, eventually, go off to play together.

- Teach socially awkward children basic skills for getting along, such as how to guess what other people are feeling, how to join a group and how to make friends.

Source: Parenthood , click here for more details