4 tips for social strength in your child
1. maintain friendships
Friendships with peers, attending playgroup or daycare and participating in extracurricular activities: These activities offer children the opportunity to try out different behaviours and test their effects.
2. chugging or playing the violin
Practising team sports or playing an instrument in an orchestra: This strengthens children's social skills and relationships. This is because they have to show consideration for others, work out who does what, work as a team, look for joint solutions and negotiate compromises.
Children learn from fictional characters how they can express their feelings and that they are not alone with many emotions.
3. learning from fictional heroes
Books with sample stories: Children learn from fictional characters how they can express feelings and that they are not alone with many emotions. They can read facial expressions and gestures from pictures. They learn how to behave in different situations, how to talk to others and how to improve relationships. Books can be used as a conversation starter, along the lines of: «And how do you experience this at school or at home?»
4. washing up or feeding the chickens
Doing chores at home, looking after a pet, volunteering or a holiday job. These activities can be a valuable learning opportunity to practise taking responsibility.
