In one of my articles for the Wyeth website, Parenteam, I shared a few tips on how to develop our child's social skills. To write that, I tapped my dear Loyal Readers to share their tips so I'm really grateful you guys are always so happy to help me out. Thank you!
Well, I just want to share that even my kids were eager to help their Mama write her article. They gave me advice, too! My kids are always telling me how to do my job. I let them. It's a good way for them to communicate how they feel and how they think we should improve. Although some suggestions ("If you let me stay up till midnight, I can practice my drawing better!") get shot down sometimes.
(Confession: said kid is actually beside me drawing and it's 11pm.)
Here are my kids' tips on how to develop social skills even while quarantined:
1. Let them go online, supervised of course.
My popular kid is Vito so he's the one who felt the loss of his friends the most. He sometimes plays video games with his friends after he told me this: "Mama, even Alfonso plays games with his friends and cousin. Fornite and Minecraft Realms. You have to let me play with them so I have someone to play with!" So I allow it as long as I'm in the same room.
You can also try Messenger Kids. My middle child, Iñigo, is a huge fan. He has to send messages and photos and videos he created to his friends and even their parents every day! Vito prefers Viber because he likes video chats.
2. Introduce new experiences.
Iñigo is an introvert so he's actually pretty happy to be home all day. He can always find something to do in our house! This is what he suggested: "Experience lots of things at home - tasting new food, playing new games - so your child learns new things that we can talk about together." Yes, he talks like that to me when I ask his opinion on some of my articles. So cute!
My youngest son Piero advises this, "Learning new things like when you taught us about the urinary tract in the penis and how it goes to the bladder and the kidneys." He says that was so amazing. Encouraging your kids to ask questions helps develop their communication skills so please talk with them - you're all they have in lockdown.
3. Get a furry friend.
We already have a rabbit but she's mine so my kids don't really interact with Bunny Blue. So when a neighbor who was moving out asked for people to adopt their hamsters, we took three! My sons are SO HAPPY NOW. There has been a huge change in their mood. Iñigo says, "Pets are important in lockdown. They keep you company, give you comfort, and play with you."
The kids love their hamsters so much. Their play together improved, they babysit each other's hammys, and they've gained a sense of responsibility not only to their pets but to our home.
(Important note: Pets are a huge commitment. They are expensive. Your home will have animal smells no matter how clean you are. You will have to live with fur, poop, pee, and noise. I only recommend this tip if you can fully commit to a new family member - your pet!)
And those are my sons' three tips on how to develop social skills while in quarantine!
By the way, I also wrote an article on how to help our kids with the stress of lockdown. If this is happening in your home, please take a look. Writing this article helped me manage my kids' stress. I hope it helps you, too!
Oh yes please! I'm all ears (or eyes?) for tips on staying socially connected (not on social media, though) in this curse of a pandemic. I will be waiting for your article. More power, Frances and boys.
ReplyDelete-Megsky
Thanks, Megsky! I hope you're doing well!
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