Social skills help set the foundation for healthy relationships. Even though social skills can be learnt at school or playground settings, the learning truly begins at home, since home is where the heart is. In this article, let us learn some interesting ways to develop social skills at home.
Key social skills to teach at home:
Let us look at some social skills that need to be taught to children:
Listening: Active listening is an important skill that many adults struggle with. Teach your child active listening skills, and make sure that you, as a parent, follow them too. For instance, nodding your head when someone is speaking, not interrupting conversations, maintaining eye contact, and asking questions can all be a part of it.
Cooperation: Teaching a child good cooperation and collaboration skills can help them work better in group activities like projects or sports. For kids, working together can also be a good opportunity for bonding and making friends.
Patience: Patience is an important virtue, especially for children who want everything immediately! Teach them how good things take time.
Positivity: Bad things happen to everyone. If your child feels sad, encourage them to embrace positivity and that this phase too shall pass.
How to teach social skills to kids at home?
Let us look at some of the steps to teach social skills to kids at home:
Allow mistakes: Your child can make mistakes, and it is fine. Normalize making mistakes since children can learn from mistakes.
Be a good role model: Children emulate adults and learn from them. Communicate politely at home. If you disagree on something, do not respond angrily. Instead, respond with patience.
Play social games: Indulge your child in group activities or board games that require group participation. This can help them to bond with people as well as teach them patience and cooperation.
Empathy is important: Be empathetic so that your child can emulate it too. For instance, if your child is sad, ask them, “I know that you are angry. What can we do together to make you feel better?” This can make the child both seen and heard.
Reward positive behaviour: If your child showcases positive behaviour, praise them or use positive reinforcement. For instance, you can say, “I appreciate you sharing toys with your sister”.
Teach them to maintain boundaries: Different people have different boundaries. For instance, some like to be hugged, some don't. Teach your child to ask for permission before initiating interactions. So if they wish to hug someone, they can ask, “Can I hug you?” Encourage them to assert their boundaries, too. For instance, if your child does not like to be hugged, ask them to say, “No, I do not want to be hugged”.
Developing social skills does not require fancy methods. It can be easily developed at home to improve one’s confidence and self-esteem. Remember, small steps taken today can shape socially aware and emotionally strong individuals tomorrow.
