By Nadine Briggs
For the past few weeks at social group we have been working on friendship plans for summer. Kids who have 
difficulty socializing may have found a level of comfort with the group of kids at school but may not be hanging out with those friends outside of the school setting. Without a plan, getting together with these kids over the summer can seem like a very daunting task. Here are 6 steps towards a socially successful summer:
Step 1: Before school lets out for the break, kids should start collecting ways to contact friends over the summer by getting phone numbers and, for older kids, connecting on social media. They should also start asking about what other might kids have planned. Your child could join the same summer program or camp that a friend is planning to attend.
Step 2: Create a list with your child of friends or potential friends. Start with anyone who has invited your child to attend any kind of outing or birthday party. Also include the other kids that your child may sit with at lunch or hang out with at recess. If your child is one of those that doesn’t have many friends, suggest that you add to the list the kids that your child may think are “nice” or appear to have similar interests.
Step 3: Create a list of activities that your child likes to do during the summer that a friend or friends could join in on such as batting cages, miniature golf, bowling, the beach, going out for ice cream, etc.
Step 4: When kids are feeling uncertain how his or her invitation will be received, it may be helpful to invite 2-5 kids who are already friends. Ask via group text or e-mail so that everyone can see who else has been invited. If one of the kids who is invited is not as close to your child, he or she may go if they see that another one of his or her friends are going.
Step 5: Offer a few dates as to when you could have the outing so you can see which date gets the best response.
Step 6: Coach your child regarding social expectations prior to the outing. He or she may be overly excited or nervous about seeing the other kids. Sometimes this can result in kids being overly silly, very talkative or super quiet. If they are doing something that involves game play, consider not keeping score if losing at games is difficult for your child to manage. Consider that you as the parent may be a bit worried about how it will go as well so be sure to not let your anxious feelings get the best of you. Try to stay back and let the friendships happen and only intervene with some coaching tips if necessary.
Summer is a great time to take school-based friendships and deepen the relationship by sharing fun experiences. Grab the calendar and pad and pen and plan a fun-filled summer!
