- Watch your child very closely when he plays with other kids. Be ready to intervene in case he picks a fight, starts telling fibs, or does something dangerous in an effort to impress the others. Keep unstructured time to a minimum.
- Avoid three-way social encounters. One-on-one play dates or small-group play dates usually work best for ADD kids. With threesomes, it's easy for your child to feel left out - or ganged up on.
- Keep play dates short. For kids age 10 or under, three hours or less is probably best. Coach your child on how to behave beforehand, and talk about how things went after it's over.
- Beware of sports. For most kids, sports are an important ingredient in making friends. But children with ADD tend not to do well in competitive play. Encourage your child to develop athletic skills that don't require teamwork, such as running, swimming, or martial arts.
- Seek out younger playmates. ADD children tend to be more immature than their peers (and painfully aware of it). Often it's helpful if your child develops friendships with children a year or two younger - so he won't feel left behind.
- Find a mentor. An ADD child may be more likely to take advice or instruction from a "big brother" or "big sister" than from his own parents. Ask the big sibling of one of your child's classmates if he will be an informal mentor to your child. Many schools have mentoring programs.
- Follow the love. If your child is a Game Boy fiend, look for another Game Boy fiend. A shared interest will help your child feel confident and engaged.
7 Ways to Help Your Child Make Friends
Follow these tips to help your child improve his socialization skills.
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