How to help children,
selecting their friends just to fit in.
You know, that's a really challenging one
because we don't know who they're sitting by in, in class,
and we don't know who they're hanging out
with in at PE or recess.
And, and so we don't know that.
But I can tell you there's certain things that I have found
to be effective when my children are engaged in
social activities.
And let me be really clear, social activities, um,
track cross country, basketball, tennis, uh,
plays, uh, every time a child is engaged in a social
activity or club, that will likely be
the people they're hanging out with.
Now, I wanna think about that for a second. Discipline.
I'll tell you, most people who are in plays, music,
drama, right?
Sports, the discipline is, is, is a part
of the structure of most
of these teams and these activities.
So getting your child involved in an event, in,
in an activity, playing the musical instrument, guitar,
violin, the piano, all social development, very, very good
because they're developing skills
and usually it's going to be utilized in a social setting,
in a school setting setting.
So I think one
of the best ways we can have a positive influence on our
children is actually having them engaged in developing
skills throughout the early years of their lives.
And I think it's just a powerful way to do it.
One of the things that I, I'll take away from my wife, who
I, I think is just, we have eight children.
And, and so, you know, with each of our children, she says,
I want them to learn a sport, a skill, and I want them,
or a play or whatever it is.
And I want them to develop a musical, a skill
or a talent across the board.
It's been good for their
minds, it's been good for their brains.
Research on playing the piano or an instrument
and math skills and others, uh, social, uh,
or, um, like, uh, the core skills, uh, sciences, math.
It's, it's fantastic. So again,
I think those are some initial strategies.
The other part of it is, is there's things
that you can't control, right?
And your children, they're gonna go out
and they're gonna develop friendships
with, with people you don't know.
Maybe it's the computer people
or maybe it's the chest, whatever it is.
We don't necessarily know them,
but inviting them to come to our house
so we can see the interactions.
Not a bad thing. So making sure that your home is an,
has an environment where your children wants
to invite their friends, that's something
that we can influence.
And I suggest that we do.