Help Your Child to Make Friends in a New School

The move to a new school district is traumatic enough for your children without adding the pressure of finding new friends.   Between the boxes, the setup of utilities, and your own inherent changes, you may have forgotten that your little people may be terrified of going to a new school, especially if you move in the middle of the school year.  Here are some suggestions to help them overcome the challenge of making new friends:
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1.       Show your child through your example how to make new friends.  Take her with you when you go grocery shopping so she can see how you talk with people you’ve never met, perhaps asking for directions to a specific product.  Then when you get in the car, discuss how the new “friend” was helpful, kind, and not at all scary!

2.       Discuss your children’s interests and encourage them to join a club, team, or band.  Yes, it may be the middle of the year, but most people, kids included, will open up if they see someone new who shares their own interests.  This applies to parents, as well.  Join a new church or temple, find a parents’ support group, or go to the local library and find a listing of the local interest groups.

3.       Get to know your new neighbors.  Surely there are others who have children in the same grade as yours. Invite them over for a play date and monitor the interaction.  If you see your child shrinking into the corner, make a suggestion about which game to play.  Avoid suggesting which TV show or movie to watch because that doesn’t encourage conversation and interaction.

4.       Your child probably doesn’t want to hear this advice, but it is generally the way to go: “Just be yourself.”  If your kids try to too hard to be like the kids in the new school, they may find that they don’t like themselves very much.  Show them that they can find other children with similar interests by listening to conversations around them.  However, also help them to understand that they shouldn’t interrupt the conversation with their own experiences.   They should wait a bit and then show the others that they have a similar interest.

5.       Brainstorm the qualities of a good friend, perhaps the qualities of the friends they left at the old school. Help them to see that people are pretty much the same all over and the likelihood of finding a friend with characteristics they enjoy is quite high.

​6.      Read books about making friends.  Oxygen Finds Friends is the perfect example of an outsider looking to fit in!  Find out how oxygen gets together with hydrogen and carbon to create water and creatures on earth!

Strong friendships are important to good mental health.  If you see that your child is not making any friends by the end of the first month in the new school, talk to the counselor at your child’s school and get professional help.  That person may be able to set up a meet and greet with a few children she knows would enjoy helping a new child adjust.

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New Australian Children's Book Series

Maureen Larter has begun a fascinating series of ebooks called The Alphabet Animals of Australia.  In each book, the author presents both scientific and character education themes in addition to alliteration of all the animal names.  Here are here first three in the series, available at www.ebooksbymaureenlarter.com 

 

ANGUS ANT AND THE ACROBATS illustrated by Alice Sabrie and Maëlle Chessard, 2011

One day, Angus decides that he doesn’t like working all day long so he looks outside of his home to find some friends.  Along the way he finds a springtail, a flea, a grasshopper, and a butterfly.  Each friend tries to do what the other does, but without much success.  In  the end, each animal realizes that they have special talents that should be used to their potential.  This book teaches about insect activity and an appreciation of one’s talents.

BETTY BEE’S BIRTHDAY BASH illustrated by Alice Sabrie and Maëlle Chessard, 2011

Betty and Bobbie decide they want to do gather extra nectar for the Queen’s birthday, but it is raining.  They know that bees don’t fly well in the rain, so they fashion umbrellas from thin slices of wax.  But they become tired holding the umbrella and gathering nectar at the same time.  They enlist the help of the entire hive, and through cooperative effort successfully hold a wonderful party for the Queen.   This book teaches about bee activity and cooperation.

CANDY COW AND THE CATERPILLAR illustrated by Patsy Seager, 2013

Candy Cow loves everything around her, especially the juicy leaves of the trees.  But one day, a caterpillar on one of those leaves asks her to save the leaf.  They discuss camouflage so Candy Cow can see the caterpillar better.  Candy Cow agrees to leave the leaf and the caterpillar eventually changes into a lovely, bright butterfly.  This book teaches about metamorphosis and acceptance of differences.

Each of Maureen Larter’s books is available in e-version and hardcover and contains a teacher’s guide at the end for further activities.  I recommend this series for children ages 2-5.  

To see the blog author's books that also teach scientific concepts with character education and language literacy, go to www.entelechyed.com

 

End-of-year Stress?

It's the end of the school year. You have a bazillion final exams or essays to grade, many students to process through the digital grading system, several reports to file with your supervisor, and assorted signatures to secure on your sign-out sheet. Top that with your duties at home, and it is no wonder you're stressed. I understand and appreciate the challenges you are experiencing right now, so I offer the following suggestions to ease your life:

1. Eat right - research has proven that a diet filled with fast food and carbonated beverages causes our bodies to destroy the ability to effectively deal with stress. Instead, revise your shopping list to include whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies, lean meats, and unprocessed foods. In other words, shop mostly in the perimeter of your grocery store. But, you say you don't have time to make all that fresh food? Consider using the almighty slow cooker! Make a big pot in the morning by tossing in all the meat and fresh veggies. By dinner time when you're exhausted, you'll have wholesome food waiting for your return home.
2. Meditate - Call it prayer, meditation, or downtime, but it is still an escape from everyday reality. Ten minutes - that's all it takes to recondition your mind and body to cope with everyday stresses. Consider finding a picture of your favorite vacation or a picture on the Internet of your fantasy vacation. Focus on that while you slip away from reality for a while. You'll emerge from the experience refreshed and renewed.
3. Exercise - Ah, those endorphins! Those feel-good chemicals that block pain, and are also responsible for our feelings of pleasure. They are released with exercise. So before you go home, run a lap around the track or head to your gym. You'll be better able to cope with the pressures at home after a stressed day at work.
4. Sleep - You don't think you have enough time to sleep because you have too much to do? Think again! You should be getting seven hours of sleep each night. Get too little sleep, and your work becomes sluggish, taking longer to complete the task. Get enough sleep and you become an efficient grading machine!
5. Plan - If you have those bazillion essays to grade and you have two weeks in which to get them done, then set aside time to several each day. That makes the task more manageable and less odious. Also plan time to spend with your support group - family and friends who care about you. Be in the moment - don't spend time with them while you worry about clearing the clutter in your room by the end of the school year. Enjoy your time with others - laugh, play, sing, or simply sip tea and talk (but not about work!)
6. Overlap - Try to find things you can do together, like straightening your room while you exercise (bend over five times before you pick up that piece of paper on the floor!) And when you plan your elementary book list for next year, add EnteleTrons™ titles because their books combine STEM topics with character education in the literacy curriculum! www.entelechyed.com/entelestore

When you put this plan in place, you'll have a less stressed end of the school year. Enjoy your summer and return in September ready to educate the next class of students who are eager for your words of wisdom on intellectual, social, and moral topics!