"When our children have to work very hard to hold it together all day long, they see their parents or grandparents at the gate as their safe base."
"You might ask them a question that's a bit different, like: 'Did anything really funny happen today?' Or 'Was there anything good or bad?'"
- If you're picking up on any signs that your child is struggling to fit in or their wellbeing is being compromised, checking in with them and their teacher to find out what's going on is an important first step, explains Natasha Wardman, lecturer in Education Studies at the Australian Catholic University.
- Teaching kids key interpersonal skills is the first step to setting them up up for making friends. These skills include respecting difference, active listening skills, and caring about the feelings of others.
- "It's really key that [parents] get to know other parents so they can help facilitate their child attending things like birthday parties and play dates, or other extracurricular activities like sport," Ms Wardman says.
Your information is being handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement.