My daughter only has one friend at school, how do I get her to have more friends w/o intruding.?

Question

The kids at school think she's weird because she doesn' go on playdates after school. She doesn't go on playdates b/c she has to go to ice skating right after school. She comes home from school crying She only has one friend and she says he is crazy sometimes. She is really a nice girl and I want her to have more friends.

Answer 1

Talk to her teacher...if she has a really good teacher she can give you ideas and help behind the scenes to give your daughter confidence and put her in situations in the class to help her gain friends...I did this when my oldest was in kindergarden and really shy. Her teacher was very helpfull. My oldest still doesn't have a lot of close friends, but the ones she has are all great girls that stick together through thick and thin. And she does have a wider circle of casual friends....which is really great since we had to move twice (out of state) since she started school. Hang in there...it will all work out!

Answer 2

How old is she, If she goes ice skating after school she should explain why she doesnt go to playdates and try getting her to get involved into another activity, if not have the playdates after skating at her house, contact the other parents to see what they would do about it, take her to places people her age hang out,

Answer 3

If your daughter is truly enjoying the ice-skating and choosing this freely over the playdates, then it is a done deal. She needs to include her friends in her passion. If the skating is more for you and she is truly being left out of the school scene, drop it until she realizes that she misses it and then go back.

Answer 4

does she have to go ice skating everyday. Maybe she should cut back a little so she will have time to on playdates. Talk to her and ask what she wants to do. Find out why she has only one friend and what you two could do to solve the problem. Maybe even talk to her teacher and find out what she does in school

Answer 5

You cant force kids to be friends. Ask her wich she would rather do go ice skating or go on playdates. If she chooses ice skating tell her to invite a friend from school.

Answer 6

Is she shy? My daughter only had a couple of friends in grade school and I was worried. She never wanted to talk on the phone something I thought was odd. Now she is in High School and I can't get her off of the phone and she has many friends.

At least your daughter has one friend. I would be worried if she had none. She must socialize some at ice skating with other skaters. I would ask her teacher how she is socially at school and what the teacher's opinion is. From my personal experience we all develop socially at different rates.

Answer 7

Try setting up playdates on a weekend or maybe having someone be able to go ice skating with her afterschool. I assume that she is training but she does need to be able to have fun with other kids too.

Answer 8

Clearly, the solution is to take her out of ice skating and let her have play dates.

Maybe she can go skating just 2 days per week after school. If you're pushing her to be an ice-skating star or something, sit back and ask if that's what she really wants for herself, or if it's just your dream for her.

Answer 9

Maybe she should try talking with other kids who ice skate. Or if you became friends with someone who has a daughter her age, and the four of you could all do soemthing together. Then she might not feel shy or anythign because you would be there, but she could also get to know someone her age.

Answer 10

Maybe if you get her to open up about what she does after school. Not many kids ice skate so I bet you many girls at school would be interested if they learned that she can ice skate. Maybe get her to ask one of the girls to come with her to her practice if they can, then they'll see what she does and would be more interested in becoming her friend.