Many parents worry their kids don’t have enough friends Two in three also say that their child’s friends should come from families like theirs More than half of parents say their kid has at least one factor that makes it hard for them to develop new friendships MONDAY, Sept. 16, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Many parents worry that their kids aren’t popular enough, or that they aren’t making the right friends, a new survey finds. About 1 in 5 parents say their child aged 6 to 12 has no friends or not enough friends, according to the results of the University of Michigan Health C.
S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health . However, two in three parents said it’s also important that their child’s friends come from families like theirs -- something that could get in the way of a kid making new friendships.
Keeping friendships exclusive to certain circles can prevent a child from developing broader perspectives, open-mindedness and better social skills, Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark said. “School is often viewed as a place where children will encounter and form connections with peers with different backgrounds, ideas, customs and ways of thinking,” Clark said in a university news release. “Limiting a child’s friends to only those from similar backgrounds may hamper their ability and comfort in navigating diverse networks in the future.
” Most commonly, parents want their kids to find friends from families with similar parenting styles..