Tips to help your child develop strong social skills in primary school

As a parent, it’s simply natural for you to want your child to excel in all areas of life, including their interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are important for your child to build and maintain positive relationships with their classmates, teachers, and other people, in or outside of the classroom.

There are many ways to help your child develop and build strong social and interpersonal skills. Here are a few ways they can learn through the course of their daily life.

Set a good example for your child

A parent is a child’s very first role model! Your child looks up to you and follows in your footsteps, and therefore it’s important to set a good example by demonstrating good social and interpersonal skills. This includes being empathising, being a good listener, and being respectful towards the people around you and your child.

Encourage your child to express their emotions

How does your child express their emotions at home? Do they wear them on their sleeves or keep them bottled up? It is important for your child to learn how to express their feelings healthily. Let them know it’s okay to talk about how they are feeling, be it positive or negative emotions. This will help them understand and manage their emotions and build their emotional intelligence, as well as improve their communication skills along the way.

Help your child connect with others

Encourage your child to make friends in and outside of school and connect with them regularly. This can be done through activities such as their co-curricular activities, or participating in community events in your neighbourhood! You can also encourage your child to invite their friends over to your house or go on play or study dates.

Teach your child how to resolve conflicts

Conflicts and disagreements are part and parcel of life as each and every person has different perspectives on how certain things should be. As such, it’s important for your child to understand this, and learn how to resolve such disagreements in a healthy and constructive manner. Teach your child to listen to the other person's point of view, communicate effectively, and come up with a solution that works for both parties. You can simulate real-life situations for your child to think about, and go through what you would do if you were in their shoes.

Encourage your child to be kind and considerate

Teach your child to be kind and considerate towards the people around them, no matter their age or seniority. Encourage them to think about how their actions might affect others and to treat others with respect.

Help your child develop empathy

In one of our previous articles, we explained the importance of empathy as well as other core values to teach every child. The ability to understand and empathise with others helps your child build strong relationships and strongly connect with the people around them. Encourage them to consider other people's feelings and perspectives, and to show compassion towards others.

Conclusion

Helping your child develop strong social and interpersonal skills in their primary school is important for their overall well-being and success in life, as it moulds their behaviours for the future. By helping your child build upon these skills, you’re helping them thrive better in school, their personal life, and beyond!