Any
parent of a toddler knows it is not easy to teach social skills. That is
because even though toddlers want to have happy, friendly interactions with
other kids, their own fears and desires get in the way. So they cannot help
wondering “Will
that child grab my toy?”, “Can
I get the doll before the other child?”’, If I push the other child off the swing, will I get away
with it?”… and this makes them act badly in the eyes of adults
The
first step in helping toddlers develop their social skills is
- Helping them learn to manage their emotions, which is the foundation of interpersonal relationships
- Helping them develop empathy (compassion) for others
- Helping them learn to express their needs and feelings without attacking
SURE WAYS TO GET YOUR TODDLER STARTED ON LEARNING SOCIAL
SKILLS
One of the most important
things parents can do to help the kids is To Stay Calm Themselves. Kids need
to experience their parents as a “Holding Environment”, a safe harbor in the
storm of their turbulent feelings. If you can stay calm and soothe your child,
he/she will eventually learn to soothe themselves when the need arises. This is
the first step in learning to manage their feelings.
Demonstrate and Teach: Children learn a great
deal from their caregivers, so when they play, you should play too. Show them how,
and then do it with them, this will make them pick it up much quicker. Let them
learn by seeing you demonstrate. When there are disagreements about anything in
particular, be sure to teach the children how to react. Toddlers need to know
how to react to either a bad or good situation. They also need to be taught how
to respect others using Magic Words like; Please, Thank You, Excuse me, I am
Sorry and Pardon Me.
Teach Them Limits: Toddlers need to
understand what is expected of them. They will naturally push the boundaries,
but if you set firm limits and give explanations as to why these boundaries are
set, most toddlers will begin to respect rules. This gives them the structure
they need to feel secure.
Always emphasize the
positive aspects of rules with your toddler.
Interact With Your Child as a Role Model: (Be a Good Example). While
interacting with peers is an important part of learning social skills, it is
not full proof. Other toddlers that your child interacts with are likely to
have roughly the same social skills. This means that more advanced social
skills will come from modeling older kids and adult. Some advanced social skills
can be learnt through Role playing games.
