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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Relationships > Son's social skills
Posted on: 08/03/2006
Question
My son is bothered by the fact that people never call him and ask him to do things. He is a sensitive person and he seems to always be the initiator. He is 14 and I am worried about his self esteem because he has stopped calling or trying to get together with friends.
Answer
Your son sounds like he may need to learn some things about social skills if he is not getting any phone calls, especially if he has initiated a number of contacts. It may just be that he needs to let people know he is interested in getting together with them and what his interests are. One of the best ways for teens to get together is by sharing activities, such as sports, interest clubs, or video games and friendships can naturally evolve from seeing each other repetitively. A summer camp experience where kids are able to get to know each other over a period of time is a good way to find friends. If you can, talk with him about his sensitivity to see what he is reacting to. For instance, is he being overly sensitive to what people say and how can he better understand how to deal with the ups and downs of social relationships. If he won't talk to you about it, look for another adult or older sibling/cousin he might relate to about this subject.