by Sunshine Monke

As parents and adults who work with youth, we can positively impact kids’ lives through helping them build good social skills, which are, I believe, more important than academic or athletic skills.

At school, very little–if any–time is spent teaching these important skills, but for youth who struggle with social skills deficits, this attention is vital. Deficits in social skills are linked to a myriad of problems for youth and adults, while healthy social skills are associated with many positive life outcomes. Therefore, it behooves us to teach social skills to youth. But where do we start?

One place is with a quick assessment of which of the following ten skills need the most strengthening, then pick just one to work on at a time. As you introduce a skill, be positive and not condemning or critical. Say something like, “Making friends can be hard sometimes. I’d like to talk with you about something you can do that will help you make friends. How does that sound?” Read the full post for 10 essential friendship skills every kid needs.

 

Photo credit: Nicola Barnett