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Friendship

Friendship & social skills

Joining in, falling out and making up are all parts of friendship. Explore your child's social world and how to stay alongside them while giving their relationships room to grow.

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Friendship & social skills Guide(5 items)

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A child talks with their mother about friendship skills
Relationships & Communication

6–12 Years: Friendship & Social Skills

Practical ways to support your 6–12-year-old as they build friendships, navigate group dynamics, and handle conflicts with confidence.

6 min read|9-12 Years
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A child prepares activity materials for sharing together with their mother
Relationships & Communication

9–12 Years: Sharing with Friends—What Parents Can Do

Teach kids to share with consent, set boundaries, and handle conflicts without forcing apologies or passwords.

6 min read|9-12 Years
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Two preschool children learn to take turns with a toy
Relationships & Communication

How to Help Your 3- to 6-Year-Old Learn Sharing and Taking Turns

Practical ways to support your child’s early social skills without forcing immediate sharing or using shame. Includes a two-week observation table and guidance for siblings, preschool, public play, multilingual homes, disability, and neurodiversity.

6 min read|3-6 Years
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Preschool children build a shared train track with guidance from a teacher
Relationships & Communication

Social Skills for 3–6 Year Olds: Friendship Through Play

Simple ways to nurture friendship skills at home and in preschool through play, with practical phrases, role-play ideas, and a two-week observation table.

6 min read|3-6 Years
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A child talks with their father about a friend on the way home from the playground
Relationships & Communication

How to Support Your Child’s Friendship Skills at Every Age

Friendship skills evolve with age. Learn how to guide your child through each stage—from parallel play to privacy and boundaries—without pushing popularity or a fixed number of friends.

6 min read|1-3 Years · 3-6 Years · 6-9 Years · 9-12 Years · 12-18 Years
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Relationships & Communication

Sub Topics

Talking with your child · Siblings & jealousy · Friendship & social skills · Empathy & respect · Shyness · Peers & peer pressure · Bullying

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Talking with your child

Talking with your child

Siblings & jealousy

Siblings & jealousy

Friendship & social skills

Friendship & social skills

Empathy & respect

Empathy & respect

Shyness

Peers & peer pressure

Peers & peer pressure

Bullying

Bullying

A small child half-hidden behind a kneeling parent’s knee watches two children playing with blocks, the parent’s hand resting on the child’s back
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Shy child: why kids ages 2 to 12 are shy and how to help

Does your child hide behind your legs when someone says hi, or stay silent at preschool? Learn why children are shy, how shyness looks at each age and how to help without pushing.

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In a park, a child kneels beside a friend who has fallen and is holding a knee, resting a hand on the friend's shoulder while a parent watches nearby
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How to raise an empathetic child from ages 3 to 18

Empathy is not built in at birth; it grows step by step from age 3 into the teen years. Here is what helps at home, how it changes with age, and when to talk to your pediatrician.

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