How To Help Socially Challenged Kids And Teens Celebrate Their Wins
Are you the parent of a socially challenged kid or teen? Do their social skills need a little work?
As a parent, you often look for big changes and wins. You want to hear them “getting it” and that they’re really willing to change.
However, developing social skills for kids and teens means recognizing and appreciating that change happens with little wins, little shifts, and small successes.
The road to change is not paved with momentous events like in a Hallmark movie. Waiting for these events will only result in disappointment.
For example, if your teen is working on flexibility, they might not display frequent, regular flexibility.
Instead, they might adopt small wins around flexibility, such as changing where they sit. If they do it three times — it’s a small win!
Here are 5 social skills for kids to watch out for and celebrate.
1. They’re nodding or shrugging.
When your teen hesitates to respond or if you’re broaching a tough topic, they may simply shrug or nod.
Recognize that a shrug is actually an answer and that they are communicating with you. Being tongue-tied or not being able to express thoughts via words can make parents think their kids don’t hear or are ignoring them.
Don’t forget to look for the small wins and be sure to keep communication open — the better you partner, the more your child will want to communicate with you.
2. They recognize social cues.
As your child’s coach, your goal is to help your child understand the unspoken rules of social behavior, learn how to watch for cues from other people, and work on adjusting.
When you ask and listen to your teen, you learn about their experiences. Cheer the small successes as the stepping stones to bigger ones.
Work with your child to develop the game plan — the playbook — and the overarching goal, which is for your child to make friends more easily and “go along and get along” with others.