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Soft skills are essential for a child’s development, and parents play an important role in helping children develop these skills. Soft skills are non-academic skills that are necessary for success in life. They include things like communication, problem-solving and creativity. These skills can impact a student’s academic outcomes, general life happiness, credential or degree attainment and health outcomes. Soft skills are not something that is often taught in school the way math or science is. Therefore, it’s up to parents to help their children develop these skills.
Here are some tips on how parents can help their children develop soft skills at home:
Self-management skills
Self-management skills are essential for a child’s development. They include a person’s ability to manage their time, tasks and responsibilities. They also help them stay organized, follow rules and finish work consistently.
Parents can help their children develop these skills at home. They can help their children learn self-management skills by teaching them how to set goals and prioritize tasks. Parents should also help their children develop time management skills, as this will help them stay organized and focused on their tasks.
Try helping your child predict how long it will take them to finish their work and then create a to-do list. They can use timers to help them keep track of time so they are not late. Calendar reminders, daily check-ins on goals they are actively working on and discussions about what they did that helped them succeed or fail can help students become more self-aware. In doing so, they can decide the best methods to use in order to manage the many things they need to focus on in life, school and work.
Innovation skills
Innovation skills are important for children to develop, and parents can help their children develop these skills at home. Parents can help their children develop their creativity and problem-solving skills by having them work on puzzles, play board games or take part in other activities that force them to think outside-the-box.
Parents should also encourage their children to try new things and think of new solutions to problems. Additionally, parents should provide their children with opportunities to work on projects or take part in activities that force them to use their creativity. Try making up stories together or invent a new gadget or solution to a household problem, such as how to organize spaces or use leftover supplies to build something. Listen to music, watch movies or read stories and talk about the underlying themes and how they relate to life. Encourage risk taking and out-of-the-box thinking.
Social engagement skills
Social engagement skills are necessary for a child’s development, and parents can help their children develop these skills at home. Parents should encourage their children to engage in conversations with others and practice active listening. Additionally, parents should help their children learn to work together with others by having them work on group projects or take part in activities that require teamwork.
Parents should also help their children learn the importance of compromise and respect for others. Try having family dinners with no technology. Instead, talk about your day, how you feel about various things that happened and what you can do to resolve conflict. Share ways that you meet new people, start conversations and present yourself as socially warm and trustworthy. Talk about people in your life who you count on and what they do to earn your trust.
Emotional resilience
Emotional resilience is essential for a child’s development, and parents can help their children develop this skill at home. Parents should help their children learn how to cope with their emotions by understanding and validating their feelings.
Teach your children to recognize and manage their emotions by teaching them techniques such as deep breathing, counting to ten and positive self-talk. Compliment your children, so they can manage their confidence and understand their gifts and strengths. Additionally, parents should help their children learn how to set boundaries, as this will help them manage their emotions and relationships. Parents should also help their children learn to be assertive and express their needs in a respectful manner.
Cooperation skills
Cooperation skills are important for a child’s development, and parents can help their children develop these skills at home. Try working together on things. Maybe cook together or divide up chores and work side-by-side to complete them.
Give your children responsibility and then praise them when they come through and do their part. Encourage your children to find ways to participate on teams, play group video games or work.
Parents should also encourage their children to compromise and negotiate with others. This will help them learn the importance of compromise and respect for others. Additionally, parents should help their children learn how to manage conflicts in a healthy and productive way.
Overall, soft skills are essential for a child’s development and parents play an important role in helping children develop these skills. By teaching their children self-management skills, innovation skills, social engagement skills, emotional resilience and cooperation skills, parents can help their children develop the skills they need to be successful in life.
JAKAPA can help. Our system measures, trains and tracks 32 skills in the above five areas. Our weekly challenge system targets one set of skills each week. In just 10-15 minutes daily, children can complete self-assessments, ask others to assess them, learn about the skills, track their activities and set goals. Talk to your school about partnering with JAKAPA, and go to jakapa.com to learn more.
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