Why Teach Social Language?

by on November 20, 2009 in Flexiture, Social Thinking and tagged , , ,

Speaking and understanding social language is another key aspect of fitting in socially.  Many youngsters have trouble using the right words in the right way.  When they talk, they don’t sound very “cool” to the other kids.  Often because they don’t recognize social feedback, they don’t realize that the way they talk is creating problems […]

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Manners Matter! : 11 Important Skills for Parties

by on November 19, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , , , ,

Another key aspect of building friendships is using good manners at parties and in other social situations.  Some children don’t know how to act properly at a birthday party or other social gathering, but they can be taught.  Make a list of party-manners, discuss each one, then put them into practice.  Discuss poor manners and […]

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Help your Child Deal with Disagreements

by on November 18, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , ,

Children should understand disagreements are to be expected among friends.  People cannot be expected to be the same in their thinking and actions, and so we all disagree at times.  Knowing how to react to those disagreements is the key to keeping a friendship intact.  Some children must be taught that getting angry, yelling, or […]

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Putting it all together = Conversation

by on November 17, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , , ,

Conversation is the art of combining questions, active listening, and self disclosure in a way that people keep talking and enjoy it.  Children need to realize the key to conversation is give and take — not dominating the conversation and not simply holding back and listening — conversation is an active, participant sport in all […]

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Active Listening: Practice, Practice, and Practice

by on November 14, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , , ,

Practice these steps to help your child develop active listening: Paraphrasing Parents can demonstrate this skill to their child.  Teachers can teach this skill with two students.  Have one person tell about his or her day, then have another person state in their own words what they think the speaker just said.  The speaker then decides […]

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If You Could Design Your Own Best Friend…

by on November 12, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , , ,

 A good way to talk to your child about making friends is to ask if she could design her very own personal best friend, what would that person be like?  If your child has trouble starting, ask the questions: “What is a good friend like?”  “Is he honest?”  “Does he spend time with you?”  Keep […]

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Teach Your Child How to Start Up Relationships

by on November 11, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , ,

Children who are not socially challenged seem to intuitively know how to make friends.  They probably appeal to others because they are more self-confident, outgoing, and cooperative than less accepted youngsters.  They are also likely to be empathic, supportive, and generous with their friends.  Many children with attention difficulties do not seem to have these qualities.  […]

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Why Does My Child Struggle to Get Along with Others?

by on November 10, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged , ,

For some children with attention difficulties, their challenges not only include distractibility, inconsistent self-monitoring, and variable mental effort: they also suffer from a handicap that isolates them from other children.  Boys and girls with social skills weaknesses seem immature and seem to lack good judgment at times.  They may less sensitive to the needs of others.  […]

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What does Soccer have to do with Achieving Goals?

by on October 26, 2009 in Self Compassion and tagged ,

The object of soccer is to move the ball into your opponent’s goal.  Your opponent does not want you to do this and will make every effort to prevent you from scoring.  In order to score, you must get the goal between the goal posts.  The team scoring the most goals at the end of […]

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WANTED!: A Full and Rewarding Life

by on October 25, 2009 in Self Compassion and tagged ,

In the old West, when someone was wanted, they put his picture, details about him, and details about the reward for finding him on a “Wanted Poster.”  Using her goals, you and your child can make a different kind of “Wanted Poster.” Get a large poster board and write “WANTED” at the top. Find pictures, […]

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Goal Setting 102: Clarifying Goals

by on October 24, 2009 in Self Compassion and tagged ,

Once your child has identified what she wants to achieve, it is time to sort out the realistic goals from the rest.  Have her answer these questions from her list of “wants.” Is it really my goal or is this goal what someone else wants me to achieve? Is it fair to everyone else? Is […]

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Goal Setting 101: Identifying What You Want in Life

by on October 23, 2009 in Self Compassion and tagged ,

Oftentimes, children (and adults) fail to achieve their goals because their goals are unclear and unrealistic.  By thinking about her talents and those abilities she wants to develop, your child can better clarify her goals.  The first step in identifying realistic goals involves making a list of what she wants to do with her talents […]

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