How Teaching Social Skills is Key to Childhood Development

Teamwork is the primary driver of human success. Individuals can only do so much on their own. But as a group, people can accomplish incredible feats.

While the desire for companionship and friendship comes naturally to most people, the skills needed to navigate social situations successfully must be taught. Those who lack these skills are at a severe disadvantage.

The solution is to teach social skills to kids as soon as possible. Once a child begins to walk and talk, it’s time to start teaching them how to work with others and manage their emotions.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at how teaching social skills to kids is key to their development, starting with a summary of the three that have the most importance:

Three social skills to teach children

While we hope to pass several social skills to children, three in particular rank at the top of the list in terms of importance. Adults teaching social skill basics to kids should focus on these three before moving on to the others. The following are three essential social skills to teach children as soon as possible:

-Cooperation

Working well with others is an essential skill for adults to possess in order to achieve personal success. As a result, kids must learn to master the art of cooperation. This includes listening to authority figures as well as participating in team-oriented activities. Children should know that getting their way all the time is an unrealistic expectation and that life often requires them to put personal desires aside in pursuit of the greater good.

-Respect

Acting rude and disrespectful toward others is the quickest way to lose friends as well as get unwanted attention from authorities. With that said, respect can be a difficult concept for children to grasp. It starts with showing them how their actions and decisions impact others, followed by teaching them the importance of treating others the way they want to be treated.

-Self-control

Many adults struggle with self-control, which goes to show it’s not a skill that happens naturally. We must be taught to exercise self-discipline and practice emotional control. As any parent knows, toddlers need all the help they can get in terms of learning how to resist the urge to throw a tantrum. They also need guidance on how to stay calm and collected when emotions stand to get the better of them.

Why teaching social skills is vital for childhood development

The following are several ways in which teaching social skills to kids is crucial for their development:

It makes them better problem-solvers – The inability to navigate social interactions in a healthy and productive manner makes it difficult to solve common problems. When kids are taught the importance of cooperation, respect, and self-control, they’re able to look beyond their own emotions and focus instead on possible solutions.

It helps them manage their emotions – Controlling anger, rising above embarrassment, and working through frustration are essential skills for everyone. The sooner kids learn how to manage their emotions, the better they’ll be at navigating social interactions and making meaningful contributions.

It improves their sense of empathy – Very young children often have a self-centered view of the world. That makes it hard for them to appreciate the thoughts and feelings of others. When they are taught essential social skills involving empathy, they’re more likely to respect those around them.

It promotes greater social awareness – It can be difficult to detect the subtle ways in which people express themselves. But the ability to read the room is an advantageous trait to possess. Those who are taught key social skills at a young age are more likely to pick up on these cues and act accordingly.

Parents have their hands full when it comes to preparing children for adulthood. While a good education is essential, so is teaching kids the importance of being good people. That starts with providing lessons regarding the three most important social skills: cooperation, respect, and self-control. Doing so puts kids on the path to becoming great grown-ups.

Michael Driver is a freelance writer from Texas. He enjoys writing about history and social studies. Michael can be reached at [email protected].