Having trouble fitting in at school?
You may have tried to block out memories from your own experiences with cliques as you were growing up…
I mean, really. Who wants to dwell on the wedgies, the upturned noses, or the teasing that went on, right? (And these things can get even more intense in high school and college.)
But in some ways, cliques are even more prevalent now than they were “back then” and your kids are probably dealing with them at some level.
So, even though you might not want to think about cliques, your child may be in need of some advice about how to handle the pressure of wanting to fit in with the “cool kids” or the disappointment of being excluded.
In fact, some of the things that you admire in your children because they’re expressing themselves in unique ways, may actually make them the target for being lured into a clique, or rejected by one…even in elementary school.
So what IS a clique?
Experts define it as a group of friends that leave other kids out on purpose. It’s usually run by one or two kids who have been deemed “popular” and they decide who can be a part of their group and who gets left out.
Of course you’re glad to know that your kids have friends, but what can you do if they find themselves in a challenging situation with a clique?
Click through to the full article to find out how one dad, and newscaster, is supporting his 7-year-old son in dealing with the pressure of cliques in his school.
And share your opinion in the comments section. What are your best tips for helping your kids with the issue of cliques in school?
Parenting Perspective: The “In Crowd” [6ABC]
