Seven Steps for Building Social Skills in Your Child A Family Guide

by Hagar, Kristy; Goldstein, Sam; Brooks, Robert

• ISBN13: 9781886941601
• ISBN10: 1886941602
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-01
• Publisher: Specialty Press/A.D.D. Warehouse

Summary

Teaching children how to navigate the complex social universe, this everyday strategy guide helps them to develop healthy social skills. Informed by current research on character development, this handbook helps parents, educators, and health-care workers understand which critical social skills determine future success and how to incorporate the teaching of those skills into everyday life. Practical advice emphasizes building children's resilience and the management of social conflicts while teaching them how to make and keep friends and appreciate their own strengths and the strengths of others. A troubleshooting section addresses common problems and how to solve them, and two addenda focus on specific socialization issues faced by educators and health-care workers.

Author Biography

Kristy Hagar, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children's Medical Center of Dallas and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She lives in Dallas, Texas. Sam Goldstein, PhD, is a coauthor of Angry Children, Worried Parents. He is a member of the faculty at the University of Utah and works as a clinical neuropsychologist at the Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Robert Brooks, PhD, is a coauthor of Angry Children, Worried Parents. He is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and has a part-time medical practice. He lives in Needham, Massachusetts. They are the coauthors of Seven Steps to Help Your Child Worry Less.

Table of Contents

Introduction
A Walk Down Maple Street	1	(1)
Seven Steps to Improve Your Child's Social Skills	2	(2)
Conclusions and Appendixes	4	(1)
Step 1 Understand the Social Mindset and Its Significance	5	(4)
Step 2 Target Social Skills for Improvement	9	(20)
The Uniqueness of Each Child	9	(1)
Developmental Milestones	10	(2)
Decision Tree	12	(2)
Speech and Language Problems	14	(3)
Motor Skills Problems	17	(1)
Social Learning Disability	17	(1)
Intellectual Processing Problems	17	(3)
Learning Disabilities	20	(2)
Problems with Self-Discipline	22	(1)
Worried and Helpless Behavior	22	(3)
Defining Your Child's Social Skills and Mindset	25	(3)
Tackling the Problem	28
Social Skills Assessment	26	(1)
Social Skills Target Worksheet	27	(1)
Summary	28	(1)
Step 3 Help Your Child Become an Active Participant	29	(8)
Nurturing an Optimistic Mindset	29	(1)
Being Empathic	30	(1)
Destigmatizing and Demystifying Social Skill Problems	31	(1)
Creating a Plan with Your Child	31	(2)
The Social Autopsy	33	(1)
Teaching Your Child About Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors	33	(1)
Developing Strategies with Your Child	34	(1)
Changing Negative Scripts and Mindsets	35	(1)
Summary	35	(2)
Step 4 Employ Strategies to Improve Social Skills	37	(10)
Thinking About Thoughts and Feelings	37	(3)
Thinking About Actions and Reactions	40	(5)
Summary	45	(2)
Step 5 Practice Social Interactions	47	(8)
When	47	(1)
Why	48	(1)
How	49	(1)
Practice Makes Perfect	49	(1)
Practicing in the Family	49	(1)
Practicing in the ``Real World''	50	(3)
Summary	53	(2)
Step 6 Assess and Solve Problems	55	(10)
Challenged Parenting	55	(1)
Change Starts with You	56	(1)
Change Takes Time	56	(1)
Power Struggles	57	(1)
Unclear Expectations	58	(1)
Excuses and Avoidance	59	(1)
Too Much Reassurance	59	(1)
Being Too Directive	59	(1)
Becoming Impatient	60	(1)
When Your Child Is Passive	60	(1)
When Your Child Is Excessively Worried or Fearful	60	(1)
When Developmental Impairments Lead to Social Immaturity	61	(1)
When Children Are Impulsive	61	(1)
When Language and Learning Problems Impair Socialization	62	(1)
When Children Are Aggressive	62	(1)
Not Knowing When More Is Needed	63	(1)
Summary	63	(2)
Step 7 Nurture a Resilient Mindset in Your Child	65	(8)
Making Children Feel Special and Appreciated	66	(1)
Loving Unconditionally	67	(1)
Nurturing Islands of Competence	68	(2)
Teaching Children to Learn from Mistakes	70	(1)
Developing Responsibility, Compassion, and a Social Conscience	71	(1)
Summary	71	(2)
Conclusion	73	(4)
Appendix A A Guide for Medical and Mental Health Professionals	77	(6)
Appendix B A Guide for Educators	83	(8)
Index	91