Old School Tricks to boost your Child's Social Skills amidst Pandemic

The COVID pandemic hit us hard, all right. Not only did it change the lifestyle of the working professionals but, it changed the lifestyles of the children as well. It is almost going to be a year since the pandemic hit, still, grown-ups are facing challenges to get acquainted with the new norm. Children’s lifestyle, on the other hand, has undergone drastic changes.

It is quite admirable that this generation of kids quickly adapted to the digital medium. But it did come with a price to pay. Socializing skills have been under attack since the 'Stay Home, Stay Safe' tagline became an implied universal law without amendment. With that note in mind, let us discover three creative ways to maintain your child’s social outlets and social skills during this pandemic in this blog.

Social Distancing’s impact on Children’s Social Skills

Today, social distancing is being embraced as the new norm. Hence children are not able to mingle with each other in person. The pandemic forced schools to go online which locked up children inside their houses. The virulence of the virus scared the parents to let their children socialize. All these drastic changes did impact the children’s social skills significantly. 

We, humans, are known to have faced numerous challenges in the past. Yet, we have a proven record of tackling it no matter how hard it seemed. With that stated, let’s discuss three ways to maintain your child’s socializing skills. 

1. Re-trend reading habit
2. Listen, observe, talk & socialize
3. Indulge in physical activities

The above three ways might sound old-school, but it is high time we re-trend healthy old-school ways to enhance children’s social outlets and social skills during this pandemic. 

1. Re-Trend Reading Habit

Reading habit is getting out of date these days. With everything shifted into the digital arena, parents must take a little extra effort to make sure that they inspire this habit in their child’s lifestyle.

Assuming that parents are overloaded with their share of work already, it might seem challenging at first. But, when they take a break from their busy schedule and start reading with their kids, it will be mutually beneficial for both the kids and the parents. 

Children tend to follow what they observe more. Hence it is essential to show them how things are done rather than telling them what to do. Reading will help children to learn new words that will help them communicate and socialize better. 

In addition to learning new words, children tend to connect with the characters in the story. The connection with the persona will help children to understand the art of socializing better. Also, their creativity and imagination will enhance.

2. Listen, Observe, Talk & Socialize

Children tend to feel alone these days as they don’t have a listening ear. Parents are all busy with their work and fail to lend their ears to listen to what their kids have to say. Hence it is vital to pay attention to what your child has to say to you. 

Observation plays a crucial role in identifying your child’s needs and addressing them. Once you observe, you talk to convey something or listen to something your child has to say that keeps the conversation going, and an opportunity to communicate better brews under these circumstances.

3. Indulge in physical activities

The pandemic demanded children stay inside their houses. Social outlets got adversely affected due to the pandemic. Physical activities have a direct impact on children's mental health. It is vital to maintain a balance even under the current pandemic situation.

Try to indulge in various physical activities, be it jumping ropes, dancing, yoga, or anything. You can even create your games here. All that matters is that children need to be involved in some physical activity.

Physical activities help children to connect with parents on a different level. They form a friendly bond and share how they feel, what they want to do, their likes and dislikes, etc. It is a healthy way to socialize with kids. 

Concluding…

?The pandemic boosted the evolution of the digital era. Slowly it started to replace old-school socializing ways one by one. With children glued to their screens, social skills went through a drastic transformation. Other ways to be engaged with peers and friends are available, but again they are on virtual platforms. The above-discussed three ways might sound old-school, but it is non-virtual and a good place to restart and maintain your child's fundamental social skills from your home sweet home.