ExecutiveChronicles | 3 Effective Ways to Improve Your Child’s Social Skills | For some children, making friends is more instinctive than for others, which isn’t something that should worry you too much. However, if you’ve noticed that your child has certain difficulties in this area and think that they might need help, you shouldn’t despair. Instead, act straight away and give them that little push they need to function better in the company. Here are some ways you can do precisely that.
Emphasizing Empathy
In order for your child to grow into a healthy and happy individual, you should put some effort into developing their empathy. First of all, you should know that children pick up a lot from those around them, which, above all, includes you. If you want to teach them how to put themselves in others’ shoes, perhaps you can ask them how they think other people feel in various situations. For example, ask them how they think another student at their school feels like when other children are teasing them or how characters in the stories you read to them or those from the TV show they watch feel after something happens to them, whether good or bad. Discussing different people’s perspectives of the same events might allow your child to have more sympathy for them and, consequently, more understanding for those they’re in contact with. You can even use imaginative play in order to enhance your little one’s empathy. In addition to this, make sure you always validate any emotions your child shows, as empathizing with them might teach them how they should empathize with other children, adults and even made-up characters.
Presenting Them with Peers
Learning from theory is one thing, but learning from practice is something your child can benefit greatly from. Therefore, making sure your kid is often surrounded by other children their age is a great way to prepare them for some social situations you expect them to find themselves in. How you decide to do this is up to you and it’s something that parents from different cultures don’t always do the same way. For instance, an interesting study showed that Australian parents recognize how valuable their children’s social skills are and that they frequently involve their children in organized activities to improve those skills. That’s why they’re prone to seeking reliable childcare in Sydney, where their children will be looked after well, but where children will also be encouraged to collaborate and learn through playing. If engaging in play with other children doesn’t come naturally to your little one, this type of socialization can prove to be especially useful. When children are presented with a problem they can solve through group work, they’ll find it easier to play and make friends through working together towards a common goal.
Childhood Chats
There is a lot a child can gain from talking to you. Giving them your time, attention and patience can boost their self-esteem and their verbal competence, so that they can express any of their emotions more clearly and freely. What’s more, talking to your children regularly and at length can be an excellent indicator of how they should communicate with others. It teaches them how to listen attentively and how to form meaningful relationships. If your child finds it normal to express joy, curiosity and love, but also, fear, anger, shame or disappointment and anything else in between, it might alleviate any anxiety or embarrassment they feel when talking to children they don’t know well, but also those they are already familiar with. Plus, once your child starts going to kindergarten or school, they will be required to interact with other children and their teachers. Those children whose parents talk to them daily will be more likely to know particular boundaries necessary for leading polite and clear conversations. Apart from that, those children will also find it easier to follow directions and they won’t hesitate to ask questions if there is something they don’t understand. Finally, when you talk to your child, you’ll learn more about them and strengthen your bond with them, which is something that any parent would consider immensely fulfilling.
Raising your child to be more open towards their peers can make it far less complicated for them to go through the confusing and challenging period of their childhood and adolescence, but it can also ensure that they form friendships they will cherish even when they’re adults. For this reason, do your best to develop good social skills in your little ones, so that they perceive being in contact with others as something pleasant and joyful, now and in the future. You may also employ the help of a company that offers child care services to make it a bit easier for you.
