Group Study Guide

Session: Social Growth in Children

Preparation

• Display a large sheet of paper on the wall or use a marker board. With a marker, write the heading "Difficult Situations" at the top.

Reflect and Practice

1. Open the session with fellowship and prayer.
   
   
2. Facilitate a discussion about the friendships among the children in your groups. Would your children agree with the answers in the article to the question, "What is a friend?" If not, why?
   
   
3. Continue the discussion by asking your participants to identify any peer groups—clubs, cliques, or gangs among your children. If so, are these healthy or destructive?
   
   
4. Ask, "How can parents and teachers guide healthy social development among our children?" Encourage the group to identify practical ways they can start using immediately.
   
   
5. Refer your teachers to the article heading "Difficult social situations in the 21st Century". Ask, "Do any of our children face difficult situations?" List these on the large paper or marker board. Ask, "How can we help our children to deal with anger, disappointments, and frustrations?" Discuss specific ways your group can minister to these children.
   
   
6. Close the session with a time of prayer for the social development of your children and the difficult situations some of them face at school, church, and home. Remind your participants to read the article(s) for the next session.