Helping Your Child with their Social Skills

Positive, healthy social interactions from birth will help your child grow up to be a happy, confident young person. With that in mind, it’s important to encourage your child to socialise with other kids and adults as much as possible, to help with their personal and academic development. There are lots of other things that parents can do to help their children develop strong social skills, as explored by an independent prep school below.

Teach your child about feelings and how different emotions can be expressed both verbally and through body language. For instance, if a person is crying it normally means they are sad. If they are shouting, they might be angry. Once your child understands how feelings are conveyed, they will be able to learn how to respond appropriately.

As an example, if the teaching is shouting at the class, your child should know that laughing is not a suitable reaction. If a friend is crying in the playground, your child will know to offer a helping hand or perhaps a hug to cheer them up.

Always demonstrate good social skills, particularly when your child is around, so that they can learn from your behaviour. When someone else is talking, listen intently and do not interrupt, so that your child can learn that listening is as equally important as talking in a conversation. Remember your manners and be equally respectful to both friends and strangers, regardless of their race, religion, class, gender etc.

As well as teaching your child constructive social skills, they will also need to know how not to behave. With that said, make sure they know that you will not tolerate aggression or rudeness from them or anyone else.