13 year old daughter struggling with her friends

[Winter45]

Hi, my daughter has a lovely group of friends. There are seven of them and she gets on so well with all of them. She’s been to a party with them all today and had a great time but on the way home she has told me that at school a couple of them go off in pairs and she doesn’t feel like she has much in common with the others. She isn’t very confident and she has absolutely no interest in doing any clubs. I am biased, I know but she actually is a very lovely girl. She’s quite responsible and very caring. She said tonight that she doesn’t mean to sound ungrateful as she knows she has some lovely friends but to think that she’s not feeling confident in the little group makes me really sad. She has another friend who she is very close to but she is moving away! Am I worrying unnecessarily? She seems okay, I’m just wondering if there is anything I should/could do?

I understand exactly what you're saying. It's really difficult as a mother when you're child is feeling like this. You want them to have friends and be confident. The plus side is she's 13 and still finding her way. She will eventually leave and go 6th form or wherever she chooses and will mix with a different group. In the meantime just be there for her and talk to her so she doesn't close in and shut you out. You say she doesn't like clubs etc but why not try weekend activities like skating or something else where she will have to interact and who knows may bring out the confident side to her. Lots of good luck to you and your daughter.

It's really a problem that a mom need to concern about. Maybe your daughter has arrived at puberty and she get more sensitive than before. You could communicate with her more often and encourage her to show herself bravely. Let her know she is lovely and she's the best girl.