Helping my Child Make Friends
Posted August 7, 2015 - 2:20pm
I know this going to seem a little weird, but lately I've noticed a mood swing in my 10 year old. He doesn't want to do as much, he stops asking if kids can come over our house, or vice versa. He was so much more lively when he was younger, never afraid to talk to anyone. Is there anything that I can do to help?
Marshall Herff
He should be fine. Maybe join him into the boy scouts
CraigK
I guess that's a good idea, but aside from forcing him into clubs he might not want to join, is there something I should be doing?
SuperDuperMom
Have you had a conversation with him about this behavior and where it might be coming from?
DanaP
That's the first place I would start too. Could you speak with his teachers to find out if this behavior is carrying over to school as well?
Haymalz
I think the first thing is really to just talk to your child. Otherwise you'll be searching for a solution blind, which could end up harming the situation even more, rather than solving it.
CraigK
Every time I've tried to bring this up to him, he shuts down and changes the subject. I don't wanna be too pushy, but what else am I supposed to do?
Mommy Ramblings
Maybe try finding a movie or book that would springboard to a conversation about friends. Then you can naturally and not too obviously find out if there are any specific issues causing him to change the way he feels about friends. He could be being bullied or being made fun of by the other kids and does not know how to handle it.
CandyOvercaffed
If he doesn't want to talk about it, try to build trust by talking about a topic he IS interested in. Perhaps that will give a chance to segue to the topic, like, "Oh, I didn't know you like that. Do your friend like that, too?" If you have an opening, maybe you can share a memory about a friend you had at that age to see if he offers anything. But whatever you do, don't give up and don't take it personally.