What people keep running into with social skills
Complaints tagged social skills, each raised by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
9 recurring problems · 127 people · 5 forums we read
Raised more than once
Most people first.
- 39How to handle biting and hitting in toddlersYoung children often resort to biting, hitting, and hair-pulling out of frustration or when told no, sometimes resulting in injury. Parents dealing with these intense, defiant behaviors are left feeling exhausted and uncertain about how to respond or whether this phase will ever end.
- 26How to help an autistic child handle playground name-callingWhen an autistic child is unfazed by name-calling like "stupid" until adults point it out as bullying, parents often struggle to know whether to intervene or let it go. Trying to force a child to stand up for themselves using scripts can create unnecessary distress when the child was originally unbothered by the interaction.
- 14How to help a child adjust to a new city after moving?Children often experience severe anxiety, crying spells, and panic at bedtime or school over losing their established social circle and familiar surroundings. This emotional distress leaves them begging to return home and terrified of everyday routines like using the bathroom or eating lunch in an unfamiliar environment.
- 14How to help a shy child make friendsShy children often take a long time to come out of their shells and can easily retreat further when peer interactions go poorly. This leaves parents feeling at a loss for how to intervene without overstepping while watching their children struggle socially.
- 14What to do when your child is excluded by a friendWhen a close friend's child ignores or leaves out your young child during playdates, it forces a painful choice between avoiding the gathering or watching your child get iced out. Having to maintain a friendship with the other child's mother while managing these dynamics leaves parents feeling trapped and unsure how to step in without making things worse.
- 9When should you step in during kids' arguments?Strong-willed children often escalate arguments into major standoffs while parents are left guessing whether to intervene or let them handle it themselves. Constant intervention can lead to friction and second-guessing, stopping caregivers from knowing the right moment to act.
- 4Why does my kid refuse to say hello or goodbye?Young children often suddenly stop responding to social greetings, leaving parents stuck trying to constantly model and prompt good manners to no avail. This resistance can make social interactions awkward and leaves parents unsure how to handle the sudden change without constant nagging.
- 4How to help a preteen end a friendship when hints failTo end the relationship, the preteen must explicitly state that they no longer want to be friends. Because the other child cannot pick up on social or verbal cues, dropping hints fails and leaves the preteen unsure how to proceed without coming off as mean. While parents naturally worry this directness will absolutely crush the friend, people who have experienced this firsthand say a direct break is ultimately best.
- 3How to teach a toddler to share in small spacesToddlers don't instinctively understand shared ownership when they live in close quarters and are still learning boundaries, often leading to public meltdowns or taking other children's things. Without separate rooms to store personal belongings, parents struggle to separate private items from shared ones without constantly intervening or feeling embarrassed.
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Topics that keep appearing on the same problems — not topics with similar names.