my 11 yr old feels lonely

[L1andudno2]

My 11 yr old daughter has just started high school and overall has settled in well. She is very sociable and has made lots of new friends as well as keeping in touch with her old friends from primary school. She has recently though started to feel quite low and put things on some social media threads about feeling lonely and not having that real close friend. I have talked to her about how I have lots of different friends in relation to my different interests but I don't think it's making her feel better. She is getting support at school with the transition team but I am starting to think worry that she is ok and was after some advice from other if they have gone through something the same.

I would be quite concerned about her putting these things on social media. Talk to her about what is appropriate. Over-sharing on Social Media is a sign of anxiety in teens and whilst your DD is not a teen yet, she certainly should not be saying things like that on social media.

The transition team might be helping her but she's obviously in need of extra attention. In your position I would shower her with it....spend extra time with her and think of some special things to do with her.

Keep a close eye on her SM. My DD is 11 and isn't allowed on SM yet...many of her friends are the same...some are allowed and the other day DD told me this girl was thinking of setting up an extra Instagram profile that her parents would not know the password to...I'm considering telling her Mum so that they can keep an eye on her.

I'm considering telling her Mum so that they can keep an eye on her.
i wouldn't. it may cause a massive fallout in the friendship group. And kids will do everything to evade parental controls and eventually outsmart them.
Best is to make kids aware of consequences. Scary, real life things. From schoolyard bullying to actual sexual predators. Even if they manage to hide things from parents, it's not the parents who are out there to harm them.

I would really, really limit the social media OP.

It's a bit difficult to stop her now she has it but could you limit her phone usage to an hour a day?

Do she do any after school activities too or anything outside of school?

That giving her lots of attention is a great idea too.

My DD didn't have a one really close friend before High School and it's only just beginning to blossom now in Y8.

She may be expecting a bit too much too soon? Could you get her one or two of these books to try and help her through it?

Doing lots of after school activities might help her too. If she's spending more time at school doing things she likes, then she's more likely to spend time with children who like the same things.

This book might help her too OP

Thank you. She does lots after school and I have bought her a book about friendships and how it all works and she seems to be taking it on board. Thanks for all your support. And I agree her phone is now limited

How is she getting on now she's back at school @L1andudno2?