Making Friends in a New Town

We have just moved to another town. My kids in fifth and eighth grade feel so lonely, as they don't have any school friends yet, and few of the neighbors have children their age. How can I jump-start helping them find friends? -- New to Town
Answer: It's early now for finding close friends. At the same time, it is understandable how isolated your children feel. Many schools avoid some of the problems they are having by assigning other students to help new students feel at home.
Fortunately, there are several things that you can do that might lead to your children making some friends. You need to become acquainted with other parents who have similarly aged children. You'll find them in clubs, church groups, organizations, your jobs and particularly school organizations. Then you can invite these parents and their children for a casual visit to your home.
Another thing that you can do is to make sure that your children know how to break the ice in social situations by saying "hello" first. And you should make sure that they know how to behave with other children -- treating them as they would like to be treated.
Beyond these things, you should encourage your children to get involved in group activities, from scouting to sports to school clubs. Also, you might speak to the teachers of your children about their need for friends and ask if the teachers can involve them in group projects with children who have similar interests.