2 out of 3 young Americans admit to lacking social skills, according to new studies.
If we want our kids to have vibrant social lives, they need to understand how to interact with people of all kinds. You can instill social skills in children at a young age by urging them to meet people with shared interests.
Once they develop a level of comfort with like-minded kids, they’ll have a base for interacting with different types of people down the road. Today, we’ll give you some tips for teaching social skills to children. Keep reading and you’ll see that what you teach them now can make a huge difference in their social future.
Sharing
One of the best social skills any child can have is the ability to share with others. No matter what setting your child is in, they can make great friends by knowing how to share their belongings, food, thoughts, and emotions.
When your child has a group of like-minded people around them in a Christian community, sharing will always be emphasized. The more your child can do it, the closer it’ll bring them to their peers.
Asking Questions
Always teach your child to have an inquisitive mind. Tell them that it’s good to ask questions, whether it’s to their teachers in the preschool church ministry linked here or to get to know a fellow student.
When you show interest in other people, they’ll show interest in you. Being thoughtful in the questions you ask and engaging in active listening are great qualities to carry throughout anyone’s life.
Empathy
One of the hardest concepts for children to understand is empathy. Christian childcare centers all over the country still stress the saying, “Treat others as you want to be treated”, but it’s not always easy for a child to put themself in another’s shoes.
Children need to understand that their experience is just one among billions. If they go through life thinking that everyone should think and act like them, they’ll never develop the social skills to sustain meaningful relationships later in life.
A lot of it goes back to listening and asking questions. Learning more about other children’s lives can help them see that everyone’s a bit different, inside and out.
Respecting Space
Although it’s important to spend time with like-minded children, it’s also important to know when to respect their space. Everyone needs alone time on occasion, so children need to develop an understanding of social signals.
When they develop good listening skills and learn how to read body language, children can develop emotional sensitivity. This is yet another thing that they can carry into adulthood.
Teaching Social Skills Now and in the Future
Teaching social skills is something faith-based education takes very seriously, but it’s something that can continue deep into every child’s journey. When they develop good social skills at a young age, they can make a major impact in their community down the road.
If you enjoyed this post, come back and visit us again for more on educating our young Christian ministry.
