Parent Network


One of the most painful things a parent may experience, is the helplessness he or she feels when their son or daughter is unhappy because they don´t fit in at school, a place they spend many hours of their childhood. While a parent may be able to orchestrate play dates and birthday party invitations when their child is very young, it becomes nearly impossible as they approach their upper elementary and adolescent years. This can be especially pronounced with children who have social and behavioral challenges.

While parents are at a disadvantage not being in the school environment day in and day out, the good news is that they have more power than they often realize. If your child does not make friends easily due to a condition such as Asperger Syndrome, ADD, or a behavior disorder, there are steps you can take to turn things around…

  • If your child receives special education services, at the IEP meeting or at the beginning of the school year, ask your child´s teacher, speech therapist, or case manager to implement a Circle of Friends for your child.
  • If your child does not receive special education services, you can still make this request of a trusted teacher, administrator, or coach. Even if you get a “no” at first, keep asking! It only takes one person to say yes to change your child´s life. And remember, teachers love kids, otherwise, they wouldn´t be in the profession!
  • Ask an adult at school if they would be willing to guide your child through extracurricular activity participation to help them feel like they belong after school hours.
  • Speak to an administrator and ask if the staff who work with your child would be willing to run a learning team, sharing a book that would help them understand and work with your child more effectively.
  • Share the resources in this website with them…they´ve been developed to make all of the above easy to do!
  • Consider attending this teleconference “The Power of Parent: What Parents Can Do to Create a School Community of Support For Their Child”