Social skills: Our topic in July/August

Dear reader

Social competence is the ability to deal empathetically, fairly and constructively with others, to empathise with them, to show consideration, to act and behave honestly and reliably. Whew, I hear you say, that's quite a lot. And how on earth is my child supposed to learn that? Isn't that the school's job?

We are already in the middle of the discussion: How does my child develop social behaviour? And what role do we parents play in this? I highly recommend the dossier «Social skills» by our author Yvonne Kiefer-Glomme.

Since August 2015, a team of three experts has been taking care of your parenting questions in our «One question - three opinions» section. Profound, opinionated, often surprising. Nicole Althaus, co-founder of the «mum blog», and Peter Schneider, psychoanalyst and former SRF satirist, have been with us since the beginning, with Stefanie Rietzler joining a little later. After answering 45 questions, the psychologist and co-director of the Academy for Learning Coaching is now focussing more on her work as an author for Fritz+Fränzi.

In her place, we warmly welcome Annette Cina. The psychologist, psychotherapist and mother of three has been running her own psychotherapy practice in Fribourg since 2018, advising young people and adults on depression, eating and sleeping disorders, partnership conflicts and life crises. In her premiere on «Eine Frage - drei Meinungen», Cina talks about provocative images of a 16-year-old girl and her father's worries.

Children watch their parents closely. This shapes them more than any rules set at home.

Fabian Grolimund, psychologist and learning coach

If you have a son or daughter of kindergarten age, you will certainly be familiar with our special kindergarten booklets. Ruth Fritschi, Switzerland's top kindergarten teacher for many years, has played a key role in helping us develop this programme since 2016. Fritschi passed away unexpectedly in November 2021.

Her successor as President of the Cycle Level Commission of the Swiss Federation of Teachers is Christian Hugi. In his first article for Fritz+Fränzi, the lower school teacher and President of the Zurich Teachers' Association writes about the ability to wait. And explains why parents should teach children this early on.

For almost 40 years, Elternnotruf has been advising and supporting mothers, fathers and carers in difficult situations with children - seven days a week, around the clock. This makes it one of the most important contact points for parents in Switzerland. Counselling is available by telephone, email or in person.

From this issue onwards, employees of the parents' helpline report on their day-to-day work - anonymised, of course. In the first text, a couple seek advice because their 15-year-old son is disregarding the agreed game times and reacting aggressively to their parents' demands. The situation seems hopeless. How social worker Matthias Gysel, himself the father of two grown-up sons, conducts the conversation and what tips he gives the parents.

I wish you few worries with your child and lots of reading pleasure with this booklet.

Yours sincerely,
Yours, Nik Niethammer