<p>Making friends can be hard, and for neurodivergent kids, the path to connection often looks a little different. This episode was inspired by a question from Instagram and dives into practical, compassionate ways to support social connection without forcing kids to fit into a mold that doesn’t work for them.</p><p>In this episode, you’ll learn:</p><ul><li><p>Why friendship can be more challenging for neurodivergent kids</p></li><li><p>How sensory processing, executive function, and communication impact social skills</p></li><li><p>Why quality of connection matters more than the number of friends</p></li><li><p>OT-informed strategies to support social interaction in safe, structured ways</p></li><li><p>How to build friendships by leaning into a child’s strengths and interests</p></li></ul><p>Thanks for listening 🩷 If this episode resonated, share it with a parent or therapist supporting a neurodivergent child.</p><p><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p>We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - <a href="https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram </a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/</a> </p><p><a href="https://harkla.co/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harkla Website </a></p><p><a href="https://harkla.co/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://harkla.co/</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harkla YouTube</a></p><p>​​<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harkla Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/</a> </p><p><a href="https://harkla.co/collections/courses" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harkla Digital Courses</a></p><p><a href="https://harkla.co/collections/courses" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://harkla.co/collections/courses</a> </p>