Children need to learn and master a range of skills to be functioning members of society. These social skills, such as empathy and respect, are fundamental in the early stages of a child’s life. If they do not develop these skills, they can experience social isolation and delinquency, which can have harmful effects.
This blog post will explore some ways in which we can help our children to develop their social skills. But first, what are social skills, and why should anyone care?
What are Social Skills?
Behavioral and emotional development are part of social skills. These skills are often referred to as a person’s EQ or emotional quotient. They include:
- Ability to connect with other people
- Self-control (self-regulation): the ability to keep their feelings in check.
- Self-motivation.
- Self-confidence & esteem
- Understanding how other people feel
- Ability to make friends and keep them
- Making decisions with care
- Experiencing and showing empathy for other people
How To Improve Your Child’s Social Skills
1. Help the Child Feel Good About Themselves
A healthy social life depends on having a reasonable opinion of oneself. Give kids praise for how they behave and how far they’ve come toward their goals. When you tell them how proud you are of them, they learn to deal with their emotions positively.
2. Follow What Interests Them
Whenever a child does something they like, it becomes easier for them to enjoy other people. Whether playing a favourite sport, playing an instrument they want, or joining a club they’re interested in, follow what drives them.
3. Model Proper Social Actions
Utilize everyday activities to demonstrate to children how you expect them to act, like how to say hello to a new person or enjoy sharing a doll while playing. As you’re doing something, talk about it. Then the child will know how to handle the situation and be able to do it again when you’re not around.
4. Enhance Problem-Solving Skills
For a child to solve problems, they need to be able to think things through, be creative, control their impulses, and make decisions. Children do not have psychological functions that are fully developed. So until their frontal lobe grows, they are more likely to make mistakes. Asking children, “What would you do?” can help you find ways to solve problems. Or suggest other ways to do things. These will help them come up with good ideas.
5. Encourage Exploration
Young children and babies learn about their world by moving around and interacting with it. As children grow more self-assured and in charge of their bodies, they get more excited to explore the world around them. Help their natural curiosity by setting up safe ways for them to explore, both at home and outside.
6. Enjoy Playtime
Playing with kids can be among the top activities you can do to help them learn in the long run. Playing is one of the surefire ways to help kids learn how to get along with others. When you play with your child, you both have fun and get to know each other better. Play is a great way to teach children how to share and work together.
You can talk about things like winning and losing. Play also gives kids a chance to learn more subtle nonverbal interactions, like how to use their bodies and how to change the tone of their voices.
7. Set a Good Example
When your child is watching, it’s essential to be aware of how you treat other people. Children watch the adults in their lives all the time. Parents can set a good example by encouraging conversation and engagement with children through various ways. One surefire example is bedtime stories for kids. This enhances the childs imaginative capacity, empathy and language development.
Social skills can be challenging for children to learn. They may feel more comfortable around their family and friends, but when they are in a new situation, they may feel out of their comfort zone. It’s worth remembering that social skills are constantly changing throughout a person’s life.
