Discussions

My child is in grade 7 and is having hard time making friends. It breaks my heart seeing other kids in groups chatting/playing and her wondering around by herself. She absolutely loves being around others but struggles to have the conversations... Any suggestions or ideas on how to get her to socialize more with other kids? Is there any clubs in Brandon that would help her to get more socially active? She is already attending Arts Gallery and Choir. Thanks in advance!

What school does she do to?

Is she into any sports? Around grade 7 is when the school sports get going, such as volleyball, basketball, badminton, etc? I know those teams helped my daughter out. Also another one that helped was Mecca. We did musical theatre classes, but there are other classes there. It developed her love for theatre and productions. So by the time high school rolled around, she was comfortable to join the school productions. That’s where she really came out of her shell.  
Or a program like girls guides/pathfinders?

Maybe I could throw in my own suggestion, but maybe homeschooling? It may seem like an odd and backwards idea, but I do really believe that our society puts a lot of pressure on socialism over many other things. Maybe give homeschooling a try, let her try and focus on the interests she has and customize her curriculum around that, then once she figures herself out a bit it may give you a good idea of what she is passionate about , then you can put her in programs that she thrives in, thus surrounding herself with other like minded people. Just an idea.

It’s free and builds confidence.

Cadets is great, although if you have a difficult time making friends it may not be the best option. I was in army cadets and aged out. Fantastic program, but very ridged. Not saying that that's bad but it's. It for everyone, and is extremely clicky. From the moment I joined to the moment I aged out I never fit in with anyone there. Even though I excelled in the program I never found my footing with friends. That is my personal experience, and could have been different for others. Just saying, cadets wasn't really a place for socializing, at least when I was there a while back.

He could go to Scouts. It’s usually a smaller group and runs the school year. Or find an event that caters to his interests (comic shop, sports, art, etc).