Creating social skills in a child prepares him/her for a lifetime of social interactions wherever he/she goes. Having social skills is very essential for surviving out all the odds of society. Right from portraying good manners to communicating effectively with others and understanding the feelings of people, are all important ingredients of firm social skills.
Did You Know Fact –
Father’s play a very important role in developing children’s healthy social skills!
Parents can begin by instilling social skills in their toddlers when they are very young. Though, babies are not able to tell you what they want directly, which calls for the need to pay attention to the actions that they give. After you know what your baby needs, provide it to them. If this doesn’t work then it means you have misinterpreted their needs and shall try something else to understand what they communicate.
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Often Kids have learned some social skills and social prompts by these ages:
2 to 3-years:
These children are able to seek attention from others. They initiate social contact with others by responding to their gestures like saying hello and goodbye!
3 to 4-years:
Toddlers take turns while playing the games like when playing with a doll or acting out and initiate communication with actual words like this way with others.
4 to 5-years:
Children nowadays are able to show more cooperation with other children, like requesting them to share and are also more prone to chatting, and pretend to play.
5 to 6-years:
They are able to talk to their friends and say “I am sorry”, “Please,” and “Thank you”. They play competitive games and understand that playing without cheating and good sportsmanship is very much essential.
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Further, these activities can help enhance your child’s social skills:
Teach Sympathy:
Brainstorm some different questions like by explaining and asking your child about how other people might feel when certain things happen. Teach them how they can sympathise them and console their friends or others in bad times and celebrate someone else’s happiness too.
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Acknowledge Them About Personal Space:
Teaching about personal space is as important as about social skills. It is important for children to give and have some personal space to let everyone feel comfortable. Allow them to practice their own ways of interaction with someone during playtime.
Practice Social Approaches:
Making kids learn the proper way to start a conversation, how to get someone’s attention or join a group of children who are already playing together is a no-brainer. All these situations can also be discussed at the dinner table or in the car on the way to school or while doing various other activities.
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One on One Time With Children:
Take out some time and sit with your child for at least an hour a day and talk or play a game with them to explain what it means to wait, take turns and share things with others.
If you want to build a rewarding human relationship, it is important that children learn, practice and have the opportunities to show the social skills considered suitable by society. It is very-very essential to teach children how to conduct themselves in ways that shall allow them to develop relationships with other people in a healthy and happier way.