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The social scene in middle school is rough for kids with ADHD. Cliques form, and our kids are often left out. Marie, a sixth-grader, came to see me recently, saying she had no friends at school.
"I asked some of my classmates if I was annoying, and they said 'yes,'" Marie said. "I just said, 'Oh, well,' and left." Marie didn't know how to stand up to, or "click with," her peers..
Marie and I worked on ways to help her talk more positively about herself and school. Instead of her usual "I hate sports," or "This school is the worst," she said, "I really loved playing dodge ball in gym today." We came up with a list of conversation-starters to draw out her peers, such as "I noticed that you have a new pair of boots…." Marie gained confidence, and made a few good friends.
How You Can Help
These four strategies can help your child navigate relationships with peers:
Work on His Social Skills
Build Up His Defenses
Identify Potential New Friends
Keep Up With Trends
This article appears in the Winter 2011 issue of ADDitude.
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