There are many reasons why a child may not have many, or any, friends. She might be noticeably different, either physically or intellectually. He may lack social skills or a have a personality that puts off others his own age. He might not share the same interests as his classmates (for example he may hate sports).
Keep it light – show an interest in their friends or peers, and ask how they feel about them. Let them know it's OK to be alone sometimes. We all feel lonely from time to time: it doesn't make them a failure. Acknowledge their feelings if your child says they're lonely.
They give youngsters the opportunity to share feelings and explore ideas that they can't or won't with adults. The absence of a friend usually reflects some deficit in a child's psychological development, insofar as friendships involve lots of skills that don't come easily for many children.
People need at least a little human contact in order to thrive, and true isolation can take a toll on your overall well-being. If you're not totally isolated, though, and your lack of friends doesn't trouble you, it can be perfectly fine to be satisfied with your own company.
To keep from feeling lonely, some only children develop imaginary friends or ties to inanimate objects, such as dolls or stuffed animals. It doesn't matter how much attention you lavish upon an only child; sometimes, they just need someone their own age to relate to.
Here are some suggestions for you: Discover and encourage your child's talents. Find out what he is interested in, such as art, music, math, nature or helping the less fortunate, and help him find ways to explore and develop his talents in these areas. Help him find volunteer activities around his talents.
Dr. Rooney advises keeping things in perspective. “Kids need just one or two good friends. You don't have to worry about them being the most popular kid in their class.”
How can I help my 9 year old with friendship problems?
Support friendships by getting to know children's friends and organising playdates. For friendship troubles, try reminding children about social cues and the rules of games. School buddy systems can also help. If you're concerned about children's friendships, it's good to talk with classroom teachers.
Despite the fact that it might not be your cup of tea, for some people, lots of time alone is okay. According to psychologist Anthony Storr, author of the book Solitude: A Return to Self, a child who craves isolation might just need some space to process the world around her.
The belief is that they'll grow into selfish individuals who only think about themselves and their own needs. Also, lack of interaction with a sibling is believed to cause loneliness and antisocial tendencies.
As argued, socially isolated children are at increased risk of health problems in adulthood. Furthermore, studies on social isolation have demonstrated that a lack of social relationships negatively impacts the development of the brain's structure.
Since they don't have siblings to interact with, only children are believed to be lonely and poorly socialized. They are also believed to be incapable of compromising or working well with others, since they haven't had to share their toys, space, identity, and parents' attention with others.
He was lonely without his wife and children. She was a lonely child with few friends. It was lonely living out in the country. She spent too many lonely nights at home.
