This template is designed for use in primary classrooms. Have a class discussion and encourage pupils to develop a set of values around friendship, using the prompts given. Display it with pride to remind children what being a good friend really means.
This quiz is great for use in RSE lessons, or at home, to encourage children to consider the qualities that make someone a good friend, articulate what makes them happy or sad in interactions with others and help them to cultivate a sense of respect for their peers.
Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone can be hard for both children and adults. When you don’t feel confident about approaching others, not knowing anyone can feel like an awkward and uncomfortable experience. Here are 10 quick tips for breaking the ice with new people. They can be used by both adults and children of all ages and can spark a family discussion about making social connections.
In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Professor Robin Banerjee about the connections between peer relationships, kindness and wellbeing, especially at points of transition or change in our children’s lives. They discuss initiatives to help prioritise wellbeing at the point of entry to secondary school and university, consider systemic social changes that might be needed to really promote wellbeing and chew the fat on how to ensure that young people feel empowered to form positive social connections.
In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Canadian researchers Professor William Pickett and Professor Wendy Craig about their findings linking intense and problematic social media use with cyberbullying, particularly for girls. They discuss the findings of their research and give advice to parents on how to educate children about digital literacy, to lower the risk of being bullied, or bullying, online. They also talk about the impact of COVID-19 on social media habits and sexting.
Sleepovers are a rite of passage for children and are often looked forward to with feverish excitement. But for parents, they can be nerve-wracking. Getting answers to some important questions before you decide to say yes to an invitation will help both you and your child to have a more enjoyable time. Consider asking some of these questions if you don’t yet know the other family very well.
We all want our children to be confident, but what are the best ways of achieving this? What do we need to do to help them feel happy and confident? Here are some quick tips to set parents on the right track!
Moving to a new school and forming new friendships can feel challenging and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Encouraging your child to have a few questions up their sleeve, to ask their classmates, will give them a simple strategy for establishing these important new connections. See if they can come up with their own, but use ours as a starting point.
Social confidence is highly prized in today’s society. It is not just about our children being able to express themselves, but also being able to cultivate social support, make connections and stand up for themselves. Social confidence is also important for boosting academic outcomes; children who feel like they have a voice are more likely to speak up in class and be articulate.
