Neurodivergent Friendship: Why It Looks Different and How to Help

This is the full recording of my short free webinar on neurodivergent friendship. Neurodivergent friendships often look quite different from neurotypical ones. They can be quieter, built around a shared interest, companionable rather than chatty, sometimes parallel rather than interactive. None of that is a deficit. It's a different way of connecting, and it works. The trouble is we've trained ourselves to recognise friendship by neurotypical markers: eye contact, group play, lots of chatter. When a child's connections don't look like that, we assume they don't have any, and we rush in to fix something that isn't broken. This session is about doing less of the wrong thing and more of the right thing. You'll learn to notice the friendships that are already there, to know when to step back, and to make the small adjustments that genuinely help. The seven quick wins:   1. Friendship doesn't always look like friendship   2. One good friend is enough   3. Shared interest is connection   4. Stop forcing the group   5. Don't mistake masking for success   6. Engineer the conditions, not the friendship   7. Talk about friendship differently Useful for teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCOs, and parents supporting a neurodivergent child whose social life worries them. I handle all my own bookings and enquiries. If you'd like me to speak at your school, conference, or event, get in touch at [email protected] or visit PookyKnightsmith.com — 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳: Resources:   / pookyh   Speaking: https://www.pookyknightsmith.com/spea... Online Courses: https://pooky-knightsmith-s-school.te... Newsletter: https://substack.com/profile/94569808... Instagram:   / pookyh   LinkedIn:   / pooky   Facebook:   / pookyknightsmithmentalhealth   Website: https://www.pookyknightsmith.com