Nurturing the Social Skills of Your Toddlers

Developing social skills is part of early childhood education in New Jersey. Toddlers will need to be taught how to socialize and deal with other people. To help nurture your toddlers’ social skills, consider these tips:

• Validate their feelings.

  Let your toddlers know that you understand what they feel. Validate their emotions so that they may also, in turn, learn how to understand and act on what others are feeling. This is one way for them to develop empathy which they can use in their adult years.

• Do not force toddlers to share.

  Parents definitely want their children to be generous. A toddler sharing a toy with another is often seen as a positive thing. However, forcing your little one to share can actually hamper their development.

  If they are forced to share even though they do not want to, they will be more possessive with their stuff. You might want to try introducing the concept of waiting turns.

• Stay close to them when they are with other children.

  When your little ones are around other children, there is a high chance that they may end up hitting others, especially when they are going to a day care center. These actions often signify that they are overwhelmed by the situation and that they do not know what they should do.

  Make sure that you or another adult is near them. This will help them feel secure and know that they have a backup so they do not have to resort to hitting others.

• Help them take a stand.

  While it is not okay to hit others, it is also not okay for them to just easily get trampled upon. Help your toddlers develop assertiveness by being their voice when they are still yet to learn how to talk fully.

• Set limits on their physical aggression.

  Emotions can cause our bodies to react in a certain way. But, people are still responsible for what their emotions cause their bodies to do. Make sure to set clear limits on how your little ones should be aggressive.

• Be a good example for your children.

  Your toddlers look up to you. If you want them to learn how to manage their emotions in social situations, you should show them that you are able to manage such emotions too.

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