social skills Archives | Page 2 of 5

Tag Archives forsocial skills

Is Kindness the Secret to a Successful Life?

Being a considerate, kind person who thinks about others is a character trait that helps children form good relationships and leads to a happier life as an adult. What does this mean for super competitive parents who want their children to succeed at all costs, even if it means cheating and being mean to others?…

5 Ways to Encourage Empathy in Kids

Sometimes we need someone to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let us feel that we are cared for and supported. Brené Brown Why is Empathy Important? Of the skills required to have positive, lasting relationships, empathy is one of the most important and one…

100 Questions About Summer Camp

Over my three decades as a summer camp director, I’ve been asked thousands of questions about camp from parents, campers, and young adult counselors. Much of my research, writing, podcast topics, and speaking has emerged from these questions. Do you have a question about summer camp? Send an email message to my team. Deciding on…

9 Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults

9 Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults camp secret#1 Connection Comes First Creating a close and connected family culture that promotes positive, lifelong relationships is the most important thing we can do for our children.Social connections, more than athletic or academic accomplishments, predict happiness and success.Forming a positive, nurturing relationship with your child…

Ep. 66: Is it Rude, Is it Mean, or Is it Bullying? with Signe Whitson

It is really important to shine the light on actual bullying behavior when it is toxic, relentless and cruel. But if we mistake things that are rude, joking or even mean and over-label them as bullying, then we are going to stop paying attention to bullying just as fast as it came into the spotlight.…

Ep. 56: Off the Clock with Laura Vanderkam

In Episode 56, I’m chatting with Laura Vanderkam about her book Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done. Laura is the best-selling author of several time management and productivity books including 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most…

The Magic Relationship Ratio

View recording here I recorded this month’s One Simple Thing during a retreat this weekend at 1440 Multiversity I attended with my daughter, Gretchen (see video below or on Facebook). We were at Shasta Nelson‘s Frientimacy seminar where we focused on learning about the crisis of loneliness and how to develop closer friendships and help others develop…

Talking with Kids about Friendship

“Friendship is a life skill you need to learn, so why not start now?” Jackson, Age 9 I spent yesterday evening making friendship bracelets and talking about friendship with a group of campers. We were outside, near pine trees and a campfire — the perfect camp setting. At one point, a deer walked by about…

How to get Closer to your Kid in 5 Minutes a Day

One-on-Ones On our counselor job description, one of their duties is to “check in with each camper, every day.” We call these check-in meetings “One-on-Ones.” Counselors ask campers specific, open-ended questions to elicit how campers are feeling. The counselors ask about their friendships, activities, how much they’re missing home, what’s going well, and if they…

How Can I Help My Kid Make Friends?

One of the most basic and often overlooked social skills our kids need to learn in order to be approachable and available to make friends is to greet others appropriately. Last summer, when I taught campers how to introduce themselves to others, step 1 included smiling and making eye contact. That step holds true for…

Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends

I just read a fantastic book to help kids learn about friendship skills – Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends (Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin). The book clearly explains simple strategies kids can use to both initiate friendships and be more aware of their “friendship busting” behaviors. With clever cartoons and…

Why Making Friends is One of the Most Important Things that Happens at Summer Camp

“Friendship is the gold of childhood” Michael Thompson, Ph.D. When I saw this TED Talk by Susan Pinker, “The Secret to Living Longer May be Your Social Life,” I was reminded once again of the crucial importance of relationships and social connections to our children’s (and our own!) life-long health and happiness. Children and adolescents…

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »