Gen Alpha Kids aren’t Making Friends — New Study Reveals Why

Source: https://nypost.com/

Making friends has become more challenging for kids today, as highlighted by recent research indicating a rise in loneliness among children. A survey conducted by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, which included responses from 1,031 parents of children aged 6 to 12, found that one in five parents attributed their children’s difficulties in forming friendships to factors like social awkwardness and bullying.

The data revealed that 21% of parents believe their child’s shyness or social awkwardness hinders friendship-making, while 18% attribute a lack of time for socializing as a barrier. Additional factors include a lack of places to socialize (16%), existing friend groups (17%), and unkind behavior from peers (15%). Medical conditions or disabilities were mentioned by less than 10% of parents.

Fortunately, most parents are actively helping their children build new friendships. Seventy-one percent have taken steps in the past year, such as organizing playdates, enrolling their kids in extracurricular activities, offering advice, connecting with other parents, allowing social media use for networking, and purchasing items to help their children fit in.

School is often viewed as a place where children will encounter and form connections with peers with different backgrounds, ideas, customs, and ways of thinking,” she said. Limiting a child’s friends to only those from similar backgrounds may hamper their ability and comfort in navigating diverse networks in the future.

Read More: https://childreninfobank.com/safebank/gen-alpha-kids-arent-making-friends-new-study-reveals-why/

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