With the entry to classes and the arrival of the school period, promoting the development of social skills in children helps them establish more positive interpersonal relationships reading comprehension.
With them, they can enjoy living with others, learn to function in their environment and relate satisfactorily. They are even less dependent and gain a stronger and more secure sense of identity (AAP, 2015).
According to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD (2019), the development of social skills in children is necessary to interact with others.
These abilities are not innate. They are acquired through learning and training, which includes repeating and reinforcing certain desired behaviors.
- Recognizing emotions helps stimulate social skills in children
The ability to recognize and understand their own emotions will stimulate social skills in children such as empathy. Teaching them by example is the best way, because if they see that you express your emotions they will do it too. - Promote healthy social relationships in your children
All children need social interactions that help them relate to others in the best way. Therefore, they require safe environments in which they can initiate personal exchanges. You can start with your immediate environment. For example, sharing a meal with your parents or a dinner with the whole family.
It is about interacting in a social environment where they can talk, share experiences and have opportunities to participate and learn. In this way, social skills in children develop naturally. This provides them with the initiative to play and work with others (Medline Plus, 2018).
- Help them form a positive image of themselves
From a young age, children must learn to value and love themselves to form a positive image of themselves. This will help them protect their rights and identity to develop their personal potential.
For this, it is necessary that you foster good self-esteem in them. You must transmit self-care values and the importance of self-image and self-love.
- The art of assertiveness is key to developing social skills in children
Managing emotions and promoting good self-esteem will help your children be assertive at an early age and in different scenarios.
Therefore, social skills in children when protecting and claiming their rights will make them understand that others also deserve the same respect. In this way, they will learn to solve problems assertively, both in the present and in their adult lives.
For this, it is important that you support their initiatives, even if they are not successful. It will be a learning that favors your assertiveness. In addition, from your home you can teach them to defend themselves when something does not seem fair to them.
- Supports social skills in children with repetitive practices
According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (nd), including repeated practice of skills over time creates opportunities for children to learn. Therefore, it is important to build them with experiences that promote cognitive, emotional and physical development.
Therefore, it is essential to incorporate interaction activities such as creative games that encourage social connections. In addition to physical exercise such as sports for children in their daily activities that generate a positive effect. This will help manage social skills in children even as adults.
With these recommendations you can help develop skills in children . Although each one grows and develops at their own pace, the truth is that they are learned behaviors that follow the same pattern. The idea is to start forging them at home and from a very young age.