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Some children can appear confident and feel open to talking to others and taking part in different activities, but other children can feel shy, reserved and need a bit more support. Thankfully this is all very normal and happens throughout a lot of people’s lives. This guide from this boarding school in Taunton will show you how you can help your child with their social skills.
Invest in their passions
If your child has a number of hobbies and interests, then ensure they’re spending time developing their passions. Alternatively, your child may have not found their favourite hobbies yet, so it’s time to push this in your child and see if there are any clubs, societies and activities they’d like to try. They’ll be able to meet a lot of children their age who are going through the same motions and can be great for them to build their communication skills with.
If your child has siblings, get them involved
Working with siblings is a great way of practising social skills and getting on with each other at the same time. Teach your children to share things, like toys and snacks, to get them talking between them to negotiate. This can make a child feel much less shy if they’re able to work on communication and self-esteem, and can be levelled up when they speak to other children at nursery or in school.
Teach them about eye contact
Even adults have a hard time maintaining focus on a person when they’re being spoken to! Children should also be aware that giving someone their full attention means that they’re listening, even if they’re not communicating back to whoever is speaking. It also teaches your child how to be sincere and respectful of others when they’re talking to them and how they can form their own opinions.