The Social Skills Every Child Should Learn

 

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As a parent, you undoubtedly want to do everything you can to make your child’s life as easy and fulfilling as possible. If that is the case, along with teaching them to read, write and do their arithmetic, you should also be teaching them social skills.

Social skills allow your children to have better relationships with their peers when they are young, and as they get older, they help your children to get along with teachers, employers, and just about anyone they need to get along with to succeed in life.

With that in mind, here are the most important social skills to teach your kids right now:

Listening

If you have young kids, you’ll know that they are awfully keen on talking, mostly about themselves and what they have done, and less keen on listening to their parents. This is fine when they are little and they are only talking with family members, but as soon as they have to be around their peers, it may not help them to make friends.

When they’re talking be sure to listen to what they have to say, but do not be afraid to point out when it’s someone else’s time to talk!

Sharing

Teaching your kids to share is so important. Not only does it encourage them to play nicely with others, but it also teaches them the importance of being kind. the act of sharing with a friend or family member can also boost a child’s self-esteem, which is really important as they grow up too.

Co-operation

Co-operation is a really important life skill. It teaches kids that they need to get along with the people around them, whether they be classmates at their preschools, family members at home, or people in the wider community. It also sets them up for the world of work where collaboration is often vital.

You can teach your kids to co-operate by playing with games and toys that have scope for multiple participants to get involved, such as Lego. Assign each child a smaller task that is part of a bigger whole and encourager them to talk to each other throughout.

How to respect personal space

This is a big one. No one likes having their personal space invaded, and kids, or adults even, who do it regularly will often be given a wide berth.

How do you teach your kids about personal space? Put boundaries into place. Snake rules about keeping hands to yourself or knocking before entering a room, and enforce them. Some kids will need lots of gentle reminders, but they will get there in the end.

Manners

Teaching your child the prevailing manners of the place you are living in is so important. If you fail to do so, they may come across as being rude when really they just haven’t been taught what they are supposed to do. So, practice at home regularly.

Teach your children these key social skills and you will be helping them to get more smoothly through life whether it’s interviewing for a new job or being popular with their friends. So, what are you waiting for?