No matter what adults say, being a child can be tough. You only have a few years of experience, and yet you need to navigate in a huge world full of incredible and scary things. This article will offer you some guidance so that you have a better shot at having a full, happy, healthy, and successful childhood!

1

Make good friends.

  1. Talk to new people and see if you have anything in common. It’s fine to stay friends with children you’ve known forever, but really try to branch out and make a few friends of all different kinds. You can play at each other’s houses, play outside together, or play during school.[1]
    • It can be tough to make new friends, especially if you don’t know anyone yet. When in doubt, walk up to another child who’s standing alone and introduce yourself. Say something like, “Hi, my name’s Eliot. What’s yours?”
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2

Accept other people.

  1. Try not to judge anyone for things they can’t control. If you see someone who’s different than you, it doesn’t mean anything bad. People come in all shapes and sizes, and that should be celebrated![2]
    • As you grow up, you might see children bullying other children for the way they look, act, or dress. Bullying is wrong on so many levels, so you should tell a trusted adult about it straight away. Say something like, “Yesterday, I found a few people making fun of my friend Ralph at recess because of his asthma. I had no idea what to do except tell you, Mrs. Ehlderson,”.
4

Be yourself.

  1. Don’t change yourself to fit in with anyone else. It can be tempting to try to make new friends by pretending you have the same interests; however, it won’t be very fun in the long run. Try to stay true to who you are, even if it seems hard.[4]
    • Children are sometimes tempted to fit in with the popular people by pretending to be what they’re not. If you ignore of your real interests just to hang out with certain people, you won’t have any real fun together.
    • If you are considered to be the most popular boy/girl within your class, take advantage of it for the right reasons, for example, if you suggest going to the aquarium for a class field trip.

Community Q&A

  • Question
    Why do children like playing pranks and telling jokes?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It's fun to be a kid, and pranks and jokes are all part of having fun. However, pranks and jokes should never be at the expense of someone else. If a kid ever takes a prank or a joke too far, you can tell a trusted adult about it.
  • Question
    I am homeschooled, and I really want to make friends but every time I am in a social setting I freeze and don't talk to anyone. How can I make friends?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It can be tough to talk to new people. When you're at home, try thinking of stuff you could say to break the ice, like, "Who's your favorite video game character?" or, "Have you guys been to the new skate park?" After you introduce yourself, you can ask one of your pre-planned questions to get a fun conversation going.
  • Question
    I'm really shy. I have one friend. I get embarrassed very easily. I'm in third grade. How can I ignore embarrassment?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It's tough to ignore embarrassment, even as an adult. If you feel yourself getting embarrassed, try to remember that everyone else's opinion doesn't matter. What matters is that you like yourself and that you're having fun with your life. If you can repeat that to yourself enough, you'll slowly but surely feel less embarrassed over time.
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About This Article

Hannah Madden
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music. This article has been viewed 44,171 times.
24 votes - 82%
Co-authors: 25
Updated: March 15, 2022
Views: 44,171
Categories: Youth
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