5 Ways To Help Your Teen Build Authentic, Lasting Friendships

Do you have a teen who’s having trouble socializing and making friends?

If your child clings to friends who don’t treat them well, you, as a parent, may want to help. But, your teen might refuse, claiming that everything is OK.

Unfortunately, everything is not “OK.” In fact, social isolation can impact social skills for teens. And it’s excruciating!

You know that despite your teen’s claims that they have plenty of friends, they don’t have the kind of positive friendships you want for your kids.

When spontaneous social interactions are disrupted, the loss of social engagement may impact your child’s ability to learn and practice social skills naturally.

Asking them to “reach out” may seem like a simple suggestion, but your teen may resist due to all the steps and time required to coordinate the invitation. They may even have a thin social network and fear rejection.

But, the good news is that teaching social skills is possible.

Here are 5 ways parents can help develop social skills for teens who are having trouble making friends.

Read the full article on YourTango.