Importance of Socialization for the Overall Well-Being of Children

Learning how to socialize with others is very critical for kids, especially at the early stage of their childhood. Most kids only care about their own needs and desires, and shows little to no regard for others, and that’s perfectly normal. Being egocentric is pretty normal for kids, as they naturally possess this kind of attitude since birth. That’s why our roles are quite big in developing our child’s social skills.

Social skills is a significant factor that should be flourished for a child to do well in the society. Being able to connect well with others is very important in making and maintaining connections, which is essential both in childhood and adulthood. Developing a good social skill takes some time, but with the proper practice and training environment, it will be learned with ease and will be developed naturally.

When talking about socializing, it doesn’t mean staying up late and scrolling through Facebook all-night. While online social media networks do pretty well in maintaining connections with long distance friends and acquaintances, it is not quite helpful in improving the social skills of the child. Actually, it can even be detrimental. Today’s society is a proof that too much exposure to these social media websites makes people lose interest in real-life social interactions.

So, you might wonder, how is socialization in any way related to the overall well-being of children?

According to the researchers from the University of North Carolina, having a wide social circle – especially those that are formed in person and not online – is as critical as exercise in maintaining good health. In this study, it is suggested that having strong social connections (family, friends, partner) is strongly correlated with reduced risk for obesity, high blood pressure, and other conditions that negatively affects the quality of a person’s life.

Also, according to the research, the wider the person’s social circle is, the healthier they tend to be. According to UNC Professor Kathleen Mullan Harris, “broad social relationships and social skills” are as critical as healthy eating and exercise to maintain good health and well-being.

I strongly agree with the statement above. Social skill is not a skill to be neglected, as it is very important in your child’s health and success later in their lives. Failing to expose your child to various social settings early on may greatly affect their social skills and confidence. People with low self-esteem and are socially withdrawn are less likely to share their feelings to anyone, which can affect their ability of making friends. Because they have a small social circle, they may feel lonely and unworthy. They may also feel like no one understands them, so they tend to keep their problems to themselves, further aggravating the stress and depression that they’re already experiencing.

Developing Your Child’s Social Skills

Learning how to socialize with others is usually learned by the child both in school and at home. That’s why as a parent, you should let your child engage in social activities and encourage them to interact with other children. Make sure that you’re allotting even just a small chunk of your time to talk and bond with your child. Just simply asking them ‘how was their day’ or ‘what they did in school’ will help them feel like there’s someone’s concerned with them, which will greatly boost their sense of self-worth. Also, bonding regularly with your child will help them be more open to others, which is critically important in forming healthy relationships. Lastly, by being open with your child, you will be more able to help them to address their issues.

Allowing them to participate in sports such as gymnastics for kids will give them a great opportunity to be exposed in a wider social setting. Also, these sports could help them develop essential social skills such as how to lead a group, how to be an effective group member, and how to take instruction from others.

So, come and learn gymnastics for kids with us. Let us help your child develop these essential skills. Enroll your child today at Bianka Panova Sport and Art Academy and let her indulge in a fun and friendly learning environment :)

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