Friendships
There are lots of different types of friends, and it’s ok for you to have lots of different ones.
There might be some friends who you would just have a laugh with, and others who will be there for you when things are tough and you need to have a good cry. You can have friends who you share hobbies with, friends at school and friends at home.
The number of friends you have isn’t important. What matters is having friends that you’re close to, who can support you and who won’t try to hurt you or bully you.
You might be a young carer and have less time to make friends, or you may feel shy in front of other people.
But these things don’t have to stop you making friends.
Top tips for making friends
- it’s scary going up to someone new but you’ll gain more confidence
- it’s good to smile
- if someone’s friendly to you, try to be friendly back
- it can take time to make friends
- don’t be hard on yourself if you freeze up – you can always try another time.
Body language
When we communicate with other people, we mostly do it using words. But what our body is doing while we talk is really important too.
We don’t always notice what we’re doing. But our body language says a lot to other people.
If you look bored or anxious when you’re talking to someone, the other person will probably notice. Using positive body language can really help when making friends.
When you talk to someone:
- smile
- make sure you speak clearly and confidently
- look people in the eye
- try not to cover your mouth with your hands when you speak
