Why does my 7 year old dd have no friends?

[Orangeanddemons]

She has had issues since Year 1. More tears tonight, no one to play with at dinner time....as usual.

I just can't understand it, she's kind, caring, lively and friendly, but no one wants to play with her. She doesn't seem to have any social issues, in fact she seems to have very high emotional intelligence for her age. She is now starting to lose her self esteem, and I just do not know what to do..

[OnaPromise]

Have you talked to the school about it?

[OnaPromise]

Also does she do stuff outside of school, and if so, how is that for her?

[Orangeanddemons]

I went to school in Years one and two, and am about to go in tomorrow again in Year 3.

I've invited loads of girls round for tea etc, it is never reciprocated. She holds her own in lessons, but it's at dinner time that the problem is the worst, and always has been. No interventions so far have had any lasting success.

[whodunnit]

poor thing. She has my sympathy, but I can't think of any good advice. It's heartbreaking not to be able to fix things like that, I know.

[MacNCheese]

Could you get her involved in after school socialising something the woodcraft folk (its totally awesome IMO). Even if it doesn't help the school thing it might help her to have other friends.

[Orangeanddemons]

She's just started Brownies, but we had tears after that. The local Woodcraft group is full.

[OnaPromise]

I think high emotional intelligence/maturity can sometimes be a bit difficult in childhood, when other kids are maybe more 'childish'. It'll stand her in good stead when she's older, but I know that's not helping you now OP.

Hope the school can come up with something more effective.

[Orangeanddemons]

There are 4 classes in each year. I think she is in a sort of stuck situation. I want her to change classes, but the infant school seemed not keen. Don't know about the primary yet.

I don't really want her to change school, and she doesn't. Is a good school with a nice ethos

[kissmyheathenass]

My DD, 8 is the .same.She is fun and friendly but seems to miss out socially. her teacher last year was concerned and tried to engineer a couple of friendships but nothing really stuck. I can't bear cliques and steer cleared them st the school gates. I Wonder if this has had an impact as we don't mix with school families outside of school so maybe DD misses out. She is very mature and in her teachers words `rises above' the cliqueyness of the other girls.

[kissmyheathenass]

Also we don't have invitations reciprocated which pisses me off big time. If you don't like my dd enough to have her round don't come here and eat all my food.

[EugenesAxe]

Really hard to know and I'm sorry for you and your DD. I think everyone saying being 'too wise' being a hindrance may have a point. Otherwise you'll have to look at shallow reasons for it, such as how she looks/talks, what she wears, whether she tries too hard/ is needy in terms of seeking approval from others, whether the other girls are not her intellectual equal either way, whether they have a vague notion of a difference in social backgrounds.

Like kissmy I often wonder about my role as a parent in terms of setting up my DCs well for friendships. I sometimes feel a bit alien next to other DMs and tend to seek out other down-to-earth people as my friends. I think it's something to be considered for sure.

Could you ask a close friend to be brutally honest and not judge them for what they may theorise about you or your DD?

I've been blunt myself in this response so sorry if anything I've written has upset you. I'm literally thinking about what things girls at my school could have bothered about at that age. Actually, having an identity/personality outside whatever theme is the rage in the classroom might be an issue - they are still young but it seems to me school is all about not standing out from the crowd in some ways. Not that I would advocate your DD changing to conform to some theme - it only really worked in Grease - she may just need to wait until someone true, and strong-minded comes along that she bonds with and can have as a mutual support. That's kind of what I had with my best mate, whom I've known since pre-school - she enabled me to remain broadly untroubled by any school teasing I encountered.

[BlackMogul]

I felt that my DD had similar issues. I was aware that she was a bit chatty and was keen on organising games in the playground but this led to no-one wanting to play with her because she wanted to be the leader all the time and, interestingly, so did the other children, hence clashes of personality. It took much longer than I thought it would for my DD to understand you had to take turns. After she got the hang of this, life improved in the playground. However, parents were a strong factor in choosing friends for their children, and my DD was not a chosen one! Party invitations were very rare and so were invitations out to tea, despite plenty coming round here to play. There was only really one child who was a true friend and she was going to another school at 11. We all decided, in year 5, that we could not follow this other lot to the High school and therefore, with DD's total agreement, looked at boarding schools for year 7. From day 1 there she made friends easily and never looked back. She has a huge number of friends now. She is the one everyone turns to to sort out a meal out or organise the birthday presents for special birthdays. She is just one of life's organisers. Sometimes the people and children at a school are just out of sync with you and your child. I fully realise not everyone can take drastic action as we did, but I am so glad we escaped! As you are in a much bigger school, keep searching. Do everything you can to have a life outside school. Music, dance, sport. The Brownies will be good if she gives it a chance. And........... It will get better. You just have to be in the right place to find those friends.

[Orangeanddemons]

She can be needy, and can be bossy, but tbh they all seem bossy!

I avoid cliques too, I'm just not into that sort of thing, so maybe that's a problem, but it was never a problem with ds.

[Orangeanddemons]

Thanks so much for all your help. Saw teacher this am who is really lovely guy although looks about 10! They have a friendship room at lunchtimes, and a friendship lunch time supervisor. She will be referred to both.

Changing classes is something I will consider, but her teacher is so so nice

[neenienana]

I was about to suggest a lunchtime club or playground buddies. I had similar issues with my son in yr 2, we had moved school in yr 1. I used to worry so much about him being on his own at playtime. Now going into yr 4, he is so confidant and has some good friends. I really tried to make friends with other mums and engineer playdates and that did seem to help. We are still not part of the gang so to speak but things are so much better. J think yr 2 is a tricky one for some kids. Good luck and keep talking to the teacher.

[Ratatouille1977]

I'm in the same boat with my dd2, she is 6. I have left her in tears this morning . She can be bossy, inflexible, in your face, needy but I think she also has a good heart. She is lacking of the essential social skills. We trying to help her as much as we can but it's like she doesn't want to know. She wants to be friend with a couple of girls who don't especially want to be friends with her, yet she doesn't let go.

I'm sorry for the hijack Orange, I'm sorry for your daughter.

[devilinside]

I think emotional intelligence is hard to see in children. Just because she's kind and caring among adults, doesn't mean she's the same with other children. My DD is borderline asperger's and has always been a joy with adults, but over controlling and bossy with her peers. (something we are working on) Asperger's is so subtle in girls, so I think it's worth investigating, how is her imaginative play? (my dd never plays with toys, for example, it's all climbing, running, mixing up potions and computers)

[Orangeanddemons]

My dd never really plays with toys. Well she does bit not for long. She will do craft stuff though. She loves computers. I've read up about HFA, but I just don't think she's got that