HOW TO BE A GOOD FRIEND
Dear Parents,
I will be teaching the children to be good friends and to avoid conflict by using strategies similar to what you see in the link above, and in Andie Jaye's article below. In class we focus on kindness, and including others. If your child feels like he/she does not have friends, please use this article to practice during role playing sessions or supervised play dates.
10 Tips: Help Children Get AlongAUGUST 29, 2013 BY ANDIE JAYE
Speed Chatting is a fun way to help kids develop good conversation skills. Brainstorm some simple questions ahead of time, grab a friend, set a timer, and encourage your child to ask his friend questions for one minute while the friend listens and responds… then switch. Once they are done chatting, encourage the kids to tell you what they learned about each other. Listening and then sharing the information with someone else will help kids internalize what they heard and remember it better.
Team building activities help develop friendships. Simple activities we like to do together include building obstacle courses, making forts, baking, and constructing blocks towers. All of these activities are pretty open ended, require some problem solving and negotiation, and encourage communication, which are all great friendship skills to have!
1. Rules of respect, love, kindness and sharing
Develop home/classroom rules that are posted that are based on these traits. Rules should be stated in terms that all children can understand. Using graphics and pictures as needed.
2. State feelings, not blame
When conflict or hurt feelings arise, address the feelings it has caused in the offended child instead of chastising the offender. An example could be, “Michael feels sad when you take his toys from him” instead of “It’s naughty to take your brother’s/friend’s toys.”
3. Let big be big and little be little
Try not to expect too much out of each child. When dealing with my two children, a teen and a preschooler, I have to set expectations based on each of their conflict resolution skills for their ages.
4. Conflict provides opportunities to grow and connect
As long as there is no violence or cruel words being used, sometimes it’s better to let children work their differences out. By handling their own disagreements, it teaches them to how to resolve problems in a productive way.
5. Blending the children’s interests together
Payton wants to play play-doh while Ashton wants to play cars. Suggest that Payton can make play-doh roads for Ashton’s cars to drive in. Or ask them if they can figure out how to play together in a way that includes both their interests.
Dear Parents,
I will be teaching the children to be good friends and to avoid conflict by using strategies similar to what you see in the link above, and in Andie Jaye's article below. In class we focus on kindness, and including others. If your child feels like he/she does not have friends, please use this article to practice during role playing sessions or supervised play dates.
10 Tips: Help Children Get AlongAUGUST 29, 2013 BY ANDIE JAYE
Speed Chatting is a fun way to help kids develop good conversation skills. Brainstorm some simple questions ahead of time, grab a friend, set a timer, and encourage your child to ask his friend questions for one minute while the friend listens and responds… then switch. Once they are done chatting, encourage the kids to tell you what they learned about each other. Listening and then sharing the information with someone else will help kids internalize what they heard and remember it better.
Team building activities help develop friendships. Simple activities we like to do together include building obstacle courses, making forts, baking, and constructing blocks towers. All of these activities are pretty open ended, require some problem solving and negotiation, and encourage communication, which are all great friendship skills to have!
1. Rules of respect, love, kindness and sharing
Develop home/classroom rules that are posted that are based on these traits. Rules should be stated in terms that all children can understand. Using graphics and pictures as needed.
2. State feelings, not blame
When conflict or hurt feelings arise, address the feelings it has caused in the offended child instead of chastising the offender. An example could be, “Michael feels sad when you take his toys from him” instead of “It’s naughty to take your brother’s/friend’s toys.”
3. Let big be big and little be little
Try not to expect too much out of each child. When dealing with my two children, a teen and a preschooler, I have to set expectations based on each of their conflict resolution skills for their ages.
4. Conflict provides opportunities to grow and connect
As long as there is no violence or cruel words being used, sometimes it’s better to let children work their differences out. By handling their own disagreements, it teaches them to how to resolve problems in a productive way.
5. Blending the children’s interests together
Payton wants to play play-doh while Ashton wants to play cars. Suggest that Payton can make play-doh roads for Ashton’s cars to drive in. Or ask them if they can figure out how to play together in a way that includes both their interests.
Some Truly Wonderful Boys and Girls
Sebastian Bradwin
Logan Conrad
Julia Desilets
Colin Dwyer
Brady Esposito
Jadyn Flood
Zachary Fortier
Savannah Gaskill
Evan Hender
Lacie Keegan
Isaac Kling
Camden LaChapelle
Jeffrey Laflamme
Luke Lewandowski
Emily Manyak
Avery McDonald
Julia Brynn Okenquist
Price Provost
Jullian Rosenburg
Thatcher Sweeney
Abigail Thompson
Sebastian Bradwin
Logan Conrad
Julia Desilets
Colin Dwyer
Brady Esposito
Jadyn Flood
Zachary Fortier
Savannah Gaskill
Evan Hender
Lacie Keegan
Isaac Kling
Camden LaChapelle
Jeffrey Laflamme
Luke Lewandowski
Emily Manyak
Avery McDonald
Julia Brynn Okenquist
Price Provost
Jullian Rosenburg
Thatcher Sweeney
Abigail Thompson