Guiding Your Daughter in Making New Friends

Making friends in middle school can be effortless for some girls, while others may find it challenging to initiate and maintain friendships.

In my online community for girls in 5th to 8th grade, The Brave Girl Tribe, many members have expressed a desire for help in making new friends. We are dedicated to supporting them! During our meetings, we discuss strategies for making and maintaining friendships. The girls share their challenges and encourage each other with positive ideas and support

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Here are some tips to help your daughter as she meets new people:

First impressions are incredibly powerful, especially when meeting new people. Encourage your daughter to be mindful of her body language, as it speaks volumes before she even says a word. Here are a few tips:

1. Stay Open: Keep arms uncrossed and maintain a relaxed posture to invite conversation and signal openness.

2. Maintain Eye Contact: This shows confidence and interest in the interaction.

3. Smile: A friendly expression makes her more approachable and can ease the nerves of both parties.

4. Head High: Encourage her to hold her head high to convey confidence.

It's natural to feel the urge to shrink inward in new situations, but adopting positive body language can make your daughter seem more approachable and significantly ease the process of making new friends.Spark Conversations That Matter:

Initiating a conversation can sometimes be the most challenging part of meeting and making new friends.

Encourage your daughter to use open-ended questions that start with "Who, What, When, How, Why?" as these will lead to more meaningful exchanges.

Here are a few conversation starters she can use:

• "What movie have you seen recently? What did you think about it?"
• "What’s your favorite book?"
• "I noticed you're wearing a [band/sports team] shirt. How long have you been a fan?"

These questions can help kickstart a conversation and show interest in the other person's preferences and hobbies.

Keeping the Conversation Going:

Once the initial connection is made, maintaining the momentum is crucial for building a lasting friendship. Teach your daughter to:

• Follow up on previous conversations ("Last time you mentioned you were starting a new book. How are you liking it?")
• Next, your daughter should share a little about herself to find common interests ("I love that book too! It's one of my favorites because...")
• Express genuine interest and ask follow-up questions based on the other person’s responses.

Role-playing with these questions can help your daughter feel more confident in asking questions and practicing smiling and openness.

Explore More Resources on The Brave Girl Project Website

Discover a variety of tools and resources tailored for you and your daughter on our course page at The Brave Girl Project website. Dive in to find additional support that could be instrumental in navigating this summer's friendship challenges. Take a look and see what else might be helpful for you both! Click Here to access the course page.

If your daughter is nervous about making new friends in Middle School, she needs the "Survive and Thrive in Middle School" course. The course will help your daughter Prepare for Middle School, Navigate Social Situations, and Achieve Academic Success. This course also supports parents with valuable insights and lessons to help you as a parent on the middle school journey alongside your daughter. This fantastic resource is now available at 15% off for a limited time.