SALT LAKE CITY — We use social skills in a broad sense every day. Sometimes referred to as “soft skills,” they enable us to work as a team, practice empathy and relate to others.
Social skills are learned. We are born seeking relationships, seeking interaction, but it’s through practice and watching others that we learn how to implement social skills.
Elementary school-age children are the perfect example that these skills are learned; we see them practicing them every day as they bully others or learn to compromise. The playground is a great big mixing bowl where kids can learn which skills will serve them and which won’t.
Social skills are needed not only on the playground, but at soccer practice, in school, visiting grandparents and at the park. There are four skills sets that, if mastered, tend to promote healthy relationships in the long term.
Research gathered by the Center for Parent Information and Resources found that when addressing social skills, successful interventions have some things in common. For example, the interventions focus on reflection and self awareness. Secondly, when children are walked through each step in the new skills, they are better able to retain and generalize it. When role-playing is used or specific skills are practiced in a group environment, children are able to master the skills. You will see these principles built into the suggestions to use for your child.
