One of the biggest concerns among parents considering homeschooling is the issue of their child’s social emotional development. Preschools allow children to be exposed to a wide variety of people and social settings, and that can be difficult to replicate in a standard or online homeschool environment. However, that doesn’t mean teaching social skills to homeschooled children is impossible! We’ve got some tips to make it easier.
Ways to Help Your Homeschooled Child Learn Social Skills
1. Be a good role model
If you’re homeschooling your child, you are their #1 source for learning social interactions. Always keep that in mind, whenever you’re in public and your child is with you. They’ll be looking for you for guidance, and however you behave around other people is how they’re likely to behave as well. Try turning conversations into learning opportunities for your little one’s social emotional development. For example, take a moment to point out things like conversational greetings or how to properly end a discussion. Always emphasize the importance of being polite and considerate of others!
2. Look for materials aimed at improving social skills
Standard schools may not necessarily teach social skills as a regular class, because social emotional development often happens naturally in this setting, but social emotional development teaching materials do exist! Try contacting your local school to find out what curriculum or resources they use. You can also try searching for resources on your own, things such as books, games, or crafts — these materials can potentially do a good job aiding in socialization skills to online homeschool students.
3. Make time to meet up with people in your community
If your child isn’t attending a diverse school, it’ll be up to you to help expose them to a wide variety of people. Look for groups in your community, such as clubs or play groups, that your child could participate in. You can also make connections with other homeschooling parents in your area, so your children can learn together in a learning pod.
4. Turn social media into teaching opportunities
If your child engages in any online social media, make sure to keep an eye on their behavior. Online etiquette is another important aspect of social emotional development and learning in this day and age, and opportunities will present themselves where you can help your child become a better online citizen.
Online Schooling Can Help
Looking for more ways to help your child interact with more learners like themselves? Playgarden Prep offers Multi-approach learning style classes Online and to the UES and Tribeca areas. Click here to take a look at online homeschool programs at Playgarden Online TODAY!
