Is it possible to feel lonely while at a school with hundreds of other people? Yes. Many kids spend much of their time at school alone or keeping to themselves. Sometimes, we want to be alone, and that’s okay. But, showing our kids the importance of reaching out to others can help someone who doesn’t want to be alone.

Teaching our kids to reach out to others will not only help the others, but will help those reaching out to be more kind, open-minded and compassionate. They don’t have to be best friends with everyone. In fact, a simple “Hello,” “Want to play with us?” or “Come and sit here” can change a person’s entire day and even their entire school year. Teaching kids to watch out for those who may need a friend is an invaluable lesson.

It’s Okay to be Different

About those kids who are alone — oftentimes this is due to the fact that they are different, in some way, from the majority. Bullying and ostracism often stem from differences. Teaching our children that it’s okay if someone is different from them will help them throughout their lives. In fact, they might feel different themselves. That’s okay.

Exposure to books about diverse characters, meeting people outside of our own neighborhoods and just simply practicing kindness can help our children to not only be kind to, but befriend those who may be different from them. Differences in each other actually make life much more interesting.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Sometimes, we, as adults, assume that the kids in our lives know that they can talk to us about anything. But, in truth, they often don’t know where to turn when they are struggling. They may feel embarrassed, afraid or they may not know how to bring up difficult subjects.

Reassuring kids that they can always talk to us or other trusted adults should happen often. Together with our children, we can come up with lists of trusted adults who they can turn to when they are in need. Whether it be help with schoolwork, depression, disturbing thoughts or stressful things going on in their lives, teaching kids to ask for help is another lesson that they can always use.

It may even help to role-play asking for help so that when the time comes, it’s not as difficult. Some ways to begin a difficult conversation could be: Could I talk to you? Something has been bothering me. This is embarrassing, but I really need to talk about it. This may seem weird, but… Our children need to know that they can talk to us no matter what the subject matter is.

The beginning of a new school year is the perfect time to put into practice some new habits of kindness, acceptance and seeking out help when needed. These practices can actually benefit us all, no matter our ages.