Tips From An Educator: How To Help Your Child Be Both Included And An ‘Includer’

With school back in full swing, many parents are knee-deep into helping their kids succeed in school – assisting with math, writing, or science projects. What can be harder for parents to navigate is how to help kids succeed socially, especially when it comes to social inclusion.

It’s heartbreaking for parents when their child feels excluded, and of course no parent wants to hear that their child is the one responsible for excluding others. Yet, according to one study, nearly half of students are regularly exposed to relational aggression. Promoting inclusion within the classroom is extremely important, and it’s something parents can also teach at home.

At the start of a new school year, multiple dynamics affect the classroom climate. There are children who have been together in the same class for several years who have both positive and negative relationships with one another. There are students who are unhappy about a best friend being placed in another class. And there are students and families who are new to the school or even to the area………...……………………..