W
hile adults may joke about needing to relearn how to be around others in a post-pandemic world, children can also benefit from a refresh of certain soft skills – especially young children who may not remember pre-pandemic life.
Consider these ways parents can help their children build social skills. Name emotions:
Naming emotions is an important part of learning how to regulate them. If your children don’t understand what emotions they’re experiencing, they may be confused or Building on these skills can also help children prepare for upset by how they feel and that could amplify the feelings a successful return to school. In fact, data from Mintel and make it more difficult to regulate the emotions. shows parents’ top learning priorities for their children prior to entering grade school are how to play well with others (67%) and good manners (66%). Talk with your children about your own feelings, or the feelings of characters in books, to help them learn to identify emotions and appropriate ways to address those feel“Summertime is a great time for families to help their ings. For example, “I’m sad, but I know a hug will help children focus on social skills that may not have gotten me feel better,” or “I’m mad and that’s OK. It’s not OK to much attention this past year, particularly if families were hit, but I can punch a pillow or stomp my feet to get the social distancing or in quarantine,” said Taunya Banta, feelings out of my body.” As a family, try practicing some inclusion services manager for KinderCare Learning Cen- simple emotion regulation strategies like deep breathing. ters. “Parents can set their children up for success when To help younger children breathe deep, hold up two finschool starts again in the fall by helping them work on gers and ask them to smell the flower as they inhale (one these soft skills in relaxed settings like family gatherings finger) and blow out the candle as they exhale (the other). and on the neighborhood playground.”
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