Children need to learn a variety of social skills to be able to fit in with their peers. These many skills are critical in the development of a young person’s self worth. As suggested by Social Skills Central, “failure to make friends can have a significant impact on a child’s life, and can contribute to severe emotional problems in childhood and adolescence.”
As a parent, you can do a lot to help your child become adept in a variety of social situations. Remember, you are his or her first (and best) teacher.
To help you, I’ve listed three necessary social skills below. These are ones that an elementary aged child must master.
1. A Warm Greeting
One of the best ways to make a friend is through a warm greeting. This means one should smile and be happy when a potential friend enters the scene.
Teach your son or daughter that direct eye contact, as well as a hearty “hello” can go quite far when meeting new people. If your child is shy, convince him or her that a genuine smile will be enough to help spark a connection, and maybe even a conversation.
2. Being Able to Say I’m Sorry
We have all been hurt – either emotionally or physically – by another person. Most of the time these transgressions are unintended; however, even unintentional hurts call for an apology. Let your child know that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s OK (and a good idea) to say, “I’m sorry.”
Another way to help your child learn this skill is to model the behavior. Be ready to apologize to your child or to your spouse when appropriate. Your elementary age child will best learn this skill by watching YOU practice it.
3. Sharing the Fun
We all hope our children will have a high self-esteem; however, we don’t want them to end up being selfish. On the contrary, help your child understand that sharing leads to friendship. For instance, explain to him or her if he or she shares a toy or favorite food with a friend, the friend will most likely share something wonderful in return.
As with apologizing, model sharing behavior. Maybe you have a favorite type of candy, and you just happened to receive it for Mother’s Day. SHARE a piece or two with the rest of the family. Of course your child will benefit in the long run from seeing you make this “sacrifice.”
Conclusion
Becoming a social creature can be difficult for some children. There’s just so many skills to master! Parents, however, can assist children with this difficult task. by modeling good behavior, and by discussing proper ways of behavior, one can certainly mold his or her child into one that makes (and keeps) friends easily.