Social awareness is about your kid’s knack for understanding and connecting with people, absorbing and respecting social cues and norms, and recognizing support networks at home, school, or the community. It’s tuning in to how others feel, no matter who they are or where they come from.
What's social awareness?
Social awareness is about understanding and connecting with people’s feelings, respecting social cues and norms, and recognizing support networks at home, school, or community.
How is social awareness connected to developmental conditions?
Certain developmental conditions, like Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD, often come with challenges in social awareness.
How does social awareness affect a child with ADHD?
A child with ADHD may have difficulty reading social signals due to their impulsivity and inattention.
What type of therapy can support a child with social awareness difficulties?
Occupational or behavioral therapy can be effective, offering learning techniques to understand and respond to social cues.
Scientifically, being socially aware refers to the cognitive ability to comprehend, empathize, and respond appropriately to the moods and experiences of others, as well as grasp and respect societal and ethical behavior rules. Furthermore, it encompasses recognizing resources and supports across familial, educational, and community contexts. Research suggests a high prevalence of underdeveloped social awareness skills in children with developmental disabilities. This essential aspect of emotional intelligence might be challenging, impacting their social interactions and relationships.
Navigating social awareness difficulties with your child can be a team sport. Still, success is possible with the right game plan:
– Muscular Therapy: A go-to method is often occupational or behavioral therapy. Picture Tom, who’s started learning to read facial expressions in therapy, and now he’s better connecting with his classmates.
– Peer interaction: Regular and facilitated interactions with peers can help. Remember Sally, who joined a playgroup and made a world of difference in her interacting skills.
– Social stories: These simple and personalized stories can teach specific social skills. Think how Max used a story about sharing to navigate his cousin’s birthday party.
Over time, with ongoing treatment and support, your child’s understanding of the social world can improve remarkably. They might still face hurdles, but they’ll learn how to overcome them with your guidance. Life’s a race. It’s not about being the fastest; it’s about staying in it, and you are right there, cheering your little champion.
