Tips for
making a friendly connection with other kids.
Smiling
And Saying "Hello"
"Well, DUH!" you say. But seriously, unless you are open
and friendly toward other people -- make them feel it is okay to
approach you, to start talking to you -- how will you ever find out
what they are interested in?
Ask
Questions
"How was your week?"
"What did you think of that teacher?"
Asking a question about the
other person signals that you are interested in them. It invites them
to start telling you something about themselves.
You can ask the person about
themselves, or ask about how they got connected with the place,
group, or person that you met them through. For example, if you're at
a party thrown by, let's say, your friend Bob, you can say: "How
do you know Bob?" This will likely give you ideas for follow up questions.
But be aware that some questions
are open-ended, meaning they will start a conversation, while
others... are not. If you ask, "How's it goin'?" It might
start a conversation, or it might just get you, "Fine" or
some equivalent thereof. But don't worry, all you are doing is giving
it a try. If other people are open to connecting, they'll make an
effort of their own in return.
If they're not -- maybe it was
just a bad day for them. Try again another time, or try again with
someone else.
Talking
About Your Interests.
You might think that the kids you see at school, the
park, a party or wherever don't care about the same things that you
do -- but you would be surprised how often people have similar
interests and experiences and don't even realize it!
Ask questions. Mention things you care about. Then see
what happens.
Taking
Classes
Adults do this all the time as a way to meet
people. But think about it, if you enroll in science camp or drama
club, or whatever you are interested in, you're bound to meet other
people interested in the same thing.
Wearing
Clothes That Express Who You Are
You could go for the obvious and wear your favorite Pokemon or
cartoon character on your t-shirt. But you could also wear something
unusual that you bought on vacation. Clothes can be real conversation
starters -- "Wow, where did you get that?" Of course, you
could simply wear something thatyou really like. Don't just
try to look like everybody else -- try to show everybody else who you are.
Pen
Pals
Pen pals can be a lot of fun. Check our
links
below and the "Young Writers"
page for links to sites that can help hook you up with Internet pen
pals. Pen pals are especially fun if you are a young writer -- you
can email poetry and short stories to your friend. Or just talk with
them about shared interests -- or about interesting differences. Just
think, a long lost soul mate might be sitting on the other side of
the world, waiting to hear from you!
Some
Cautions About The Internet and Web
If you're meeting people over the Internet and the Web, be aware that
people are not always who they seem to be. For this reason,
follow some basic safety rules, such as:
Don't give out your home address, phone number, or last name, without
first talking it over with a parent, guardian, or trusted adult.
Also, don't agree to go meet someone you've met over the Internet
without talking this over with a parent, guardian, or trusted
adult. And even then, don't meet them alone. Make sure you bring
someone with you.
Also, when you meet for the first time, it's better to pick someplace
like a restaurant or the mall, rather than your home
Why
Don't
You Want To Meet People?
Maybe there's a reason you have a hard time getting to know
people. Maybe you're afraid of them -- maybe you think nobody wants
to get to know you! Or maybe you think they'll all turn out to
be boring. Maybe you've had bad experiences in the past.
Whatever it is, try to pinpoint it. And then ask yourself: "Is
this really true? Does everything I've experienced in the past back
up this idea I have?" Try to think of at least one example where
your fear was proved wrong. Then ask yourself, "What's the worst
that can happen if I say hello to this person?"
Sponsored by Girl's Life Magazine. Stop by here
to download a pen pal buddy application. Enclose $5 and mail it back
to them and they will match you up with the names/address of 5 girls
who have the qualities you are most looking for in a pen pal.
Online, international penpal program.
Meet girls from different parts of the world -- learn about their
culture and homeland, teach them about your own, have fun with all
the surprising things you have in common. Because this is an email
program, it's a great way to have a pen pal (or "key pal")
without having to give out your address.
Check it out -- more online chat rooms for
kids! Plus, it's monitored -- so mom & dad can feel at ease. Chat
rooms are generally open late morning through early evening -- but
check the schedule for more details. If you don't know what a chat
room is, you're in for a fun surprise. It's like talking to a bunch
of friends at once on the telephone -- only you're all typing (and
reading) instead of talking.
This linked listing of arts & recreation
classes is unfortunately only for the Santa Clara Valley and South
Bay area. But hey, drop by your local community center and pick up an
activities guide, or look it up on the web.
