Hi Mrs B 115, Welcome to our Each Out Parent Forum. I've been coming here for a few months now,, and am Mum to an about to turn 17 young man and an about to turn 15 year old young woman. However, I'm thinking back also to when I was 13. There's been a suggestion that you're in the UK. Here in Australia, 13 is roughly when kids start high school. Where we live, the kids from a number local school merge together and so friendships from primary school in a way come under threat as all the kids met new people. Indeed, to me now, it seems healthy that social groups expand and people don't just stick with the same kids though all their years at school. However, these readjustments never seem to go smoothly and feelings are hurt, and there often seems to be kids to fall through the cracks at least for a time, and have no friends. It's awful to have no friends and no one to sit with at lunch...even just for a day. My first recommendation is to get in touch with the school. Touch base and share your concern. At my kids school, students can go to the library at lunchtime and they have activities there. I agree with building up groups of friends outside school and scouts and our youth group have worked well for us. Taking up a sport is also good. Since he's emotional, perhaps taking up an instrument or doing a drama course. I've noticed with my son's friends from youth, playing the guitar is a good one. It's portable and gathers people around them. I also just wondered if you know his friends parents, and whether you might be able to get together with someone there for a coffee preferably one on one and pick their brains. There might be a real simple explanation and a way of keeping the group together or they might alert you that it's time for your son to move on and let go. I try and keep up with my friends with teenagers, and it's actually much harder than you'd think what with people working. However, I do believe it's really important. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Birdwings
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