Dish-It: Need Nice Friends

Making New Friends

Dear Dish-It,

How do I get nice friends who talk to me every time I see them?

sweet mama

Dear SM,

It sounds like maybe you’re feeling a bit left out. That’s a really tough situation to be in – recess, lunchtime and after school can feel pretty lonely without some good friends to help pass the time. The thing about making new “nice” friends is it’s up to you to go ahead and take the first step …

Start by looking around your classroom — think about which kids you'd like to play with at recess. Look for chances to say hi to them, smile and be friendly. Offer to share something or give a compliment. Invite someone to play with you or say "Do you want to sit here?" in the lunchroom. When you're at recess, walk over to kids you want to play with, act friendly and say "Hi, can I play, too?" or just join in.

If you have trouble doing this or if you're feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends. Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends. The best way to make friends is to be a friend. Be kind, be friendly, share, say positive things, offer to help — and pretty soon, you'll have one, or two, or even more new friends.

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