Social Skills for Kids: Helping Kids Become Social Heroes

"I haven't got any friends; the kids won't let me play" - Few words have more power to rip through a parent's heart.

Knowing that your child is lagging behind in arithmetic and spelling is bearable; knowing that your child is alone at lunch time is not. It hurts. Greatly.

But what can be done so that lunch time games and birthday party invitations are the norm rather than a favour? Because one thing is assured - if this is a regular after school greeting - your child's psychological health now, and in the future, is at risk. Their academic success will be compromised and their school happiness will remain elusive.

The good news is - a lot can be done - by teaching your child 13 skills that will help them navigate their way through a multitude of everyday scenarios, develop their emotional resilience and become social and playground heroes.

Social Skills for Kids: Helping Kids Become Social Heroes is a fun and practical, self-help book for both adults and children, about developing the social and emotional skills that help children make friends, bounce back from difficulties, and achieve lifelong positive mental health and happiness.

The book is in two sections; Part 1 is for adults, and Part 2 is for adults and children.

Part 1 discusses why social and emotional skills play such a large part in a child’s happiness, and shows adults numerous ways to teach these skills using practical, simple concepts and easy to apply strategies.

Part 2 talks directly to the child in a friendly, chatty style, illustrating each of the 13 skills in everyday scenarios with which all children are familiar. Adults learn different ways to talk about these skills, such as, “Being Friendly with a S.P.I.T.”; about “Stinkin Thinkin”; “How to Trick Sillyness, The Fun Wrecker” and how to do the “Six Step Stick Up”, all of which lead to conversations that open up possibilities for change and skill development. In a nutshell, it’s a book that every adult should read, full of skills that every child deserves to learn.

Before introducing this book to your child, read it from cover to cover yourself, because your understanding and enthusiasm are important. Children younger than 8 years of age will need help to read and fully understand the concepts, as might some who are older. However, regardless of age or ability, every child will benefit from learning these skills.

Dip in and out of the book together, and choose one or two skills that will be your focus over the next fortnight or month. Use the teaching resources in Chapter 3 before the child tries the new skills out with their peers. Be patient, encouraging and optimistic, emphasizing that with enough practise, each skill is achievable.

Demonstrate your own social and emotional competence by using these very same skills. Talk about your efforts to also apply them and use the book’s language to describe your success in beating 'Stinkin Thinkin', and being able to Calm Down. Show your child that adults also need to keep developing their social and emotional skills, and be the best example you can, because that will be the difference that makes a difference.