Child Development: Help Your Child Develop their Social Skills
Preschool social interaction is a period of experimentation. Children like to try things on for size, using dramatic play, puppets, and other toys to express themselves and practice their developing skills. As a parent, there are plenty of ways you can help your child develop their social skills during their early years.
Many children possess a wonderful lack of inhibition and eagerness to try new experiences. At the same time some children are more reserved in their social confidence and take longer to feel comfortable expressing themselves with new people.
Tips to Help Your Child Develop Their Social Skills:
- Try to avoid labelling your child as shy in front of them. It’s important they don’t feel there is something wrong with them because they’re not outgoing.
- Let your child know that everybody has a different social style. Their preference to observe until they feel comfortable joining in is okay.
- Try to extend the boundaries of your child’s social comfort by gradually exposing them to situations that give them the opportunity to socialise with new people and practice their emerging social skills.
Build Confidence & Positive Self Regard
The more confident and positive a child feels about themselves, the more likely the child is to be more outgoing, willing to try new things, and less afraid of new situations.
Tell your child often, how special they are to you, and how much you love them. Avoid language that tells them they are loved for what they do or how they behave.
It’s important for your child’s self esteem that they know they are loved just for being who they are.
Look for ways to remind them that they are valued and loved, even when you are not there. You might pack a picture or note in their lunchbox or bag. You could give them a photograph of the two of you having fun together that they can keep close.
Take Your Time
There is no need to be in a rush to get your child ‘over’ their shyness.
Remember, the goal is not short-term accomplishment, but rather a long-term growth in your child’s confidence and positive change in their feelings and attitudes toward socialising.
If your child feels somehow ‘wrong’ about feeling shy, this will hinder their confidence further. Best to let them develop their social skills at their own rate.
We hope these tips will support you to help your child with their social skills