News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Brothers and sisters help children acquire social skills, according to new research published in the journal New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development.

Parents teach children how to behave in public and with adults, but siblings influence "informal" behaviors such as how to act at school and on the street, and how to attract friends by being "cool," wrote Dr. Laurie Kramer, author of the report and a professor of applied family studies at the University of Illinois.

"Siblings are closer to the social environment that children find themselves in during the majority of their day, which is why it is important not to overlook the contributions that they (siblings) make on who we end up being," she said.

Dr. Kramer said that some authors have undermined the importance of siblings by emphasizing their negative influences, such as being role models for smoking, teen pregnancy, and other behaviors.

She said that her study found that it was unimportant how far apart siblings were spaced from each other in terms of years -- just having a sibling influenced informal social behaviors.

Labels: siblings, social-skills

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It may be possible to teach autistic children better social skills in classes, according to a study from the University of California in Los Angeles.

Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson and her colleagues conducted twelve weekly 90-minute for high-functioning autistic children. Topics included etiquette, hosting a party, sportsmanship, and handling teasing and arguments. The parents of the children also attended classes to learn how to reinforce the lessons.

"It's hard enough to be a teenager, but it's harder still for adolescents with autism because they typically lack the ability to pick up on all the social cues most of us take for granted," Laugeson said in an April 27 Reuters article. "Things like body language, hand gestures and facial expressions, along with speech inflections like warmth, sarcasm or hostility."

Dr. Laugeson said that the children in the treatment groups experienced "significant" improvements in social skills.

Looking for a way to improve your child's behavior, confidence, and social skills this summer? Talisman Camps & Programs features a number of exceptional summer camps for children with ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning autism, and related conditions.

Labels: autism, social-skills

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A new study from Tel Aviv University links having an older father to lowered social skills in their sons.

After going through data on 450,000 male Israeli teenagers, Dr. Mark Weiser found that poor social functioning increased by 50% if a boy's father was 45 years or older at the time of his birth.

Dr. Weiser is unsure why this would be true, but said that some illnesses such as schizophrenia are more common in children with older parents.

"It could be that men with poor social skills get married later in life," he said.

This study appears in the Schizophrenia Bulletin.

Labels: social-skills, fathers, older-parents

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A concerned parent recently wrote in to an advice column about her teenage daughter's practice of hugging all of her friends. The parent didn't remember experiencing that level of physicality in high school, and wondered if the behavior is OK.

"I do not think that it is a problem as long as it is accompanies by a healthy respect for boundaries. In fact, hugging between friends is a generally pleasant and acceptable social behavior. Concerns about physical closeness arise when a young person does not have a good sense of their own boundaries."

Teaching boundaries starts at home, with giving and expecting respect for one's boundaries and privacy. Parents need to show as much respect as they want to receive - for example, they should knock before entering a child's bedroom, and should give their children privacy (within reason of course) when they ask for it. Physical boundaries are learned when parents don't force more affection on a child than that child is willing to receive. Source: Comox Valley Record (B.C., Canada)

Labels: social-skills, boundaries, friends

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Having a child who doesn't want to go to school is not unusual. However, if your children seem especially defiant or unwilling to go, take time to find out what their reasons are.

"For young children, it may be due to the adjustment to the routine and structure of school versus home. It may also be social reasons, such as being overwhelmed by the sheer number of kids around them, or it could even be due to bullying."

Don't talk only to your child. Get in touch with teachers, school administrators, and even bus drivers. If there's a serious problem, you'll want - and need - their help. Source: This Week (Canada)

Labels: social-skills, school, bullying

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Scientists at the University of Vermont found a link between social problems in childhood and depression in later life. However, they are unsure if social problems cause depression or vice versa.

Professor Keith Burt led the study using data from Project Competence, in which a group of more than 200 people submitted information over a 20-year period beginning when they were between 8 and 12 years old.

Dr. Burt found that people who were not socially competent as children and teenagers were at greater risk for anxiety and depression, even when he considered other explanations such as social class and intelligence.

Dr. Burt said the study indicates that "youth at risk for depression might benefit from interventions focused on building healthy relationships with peers."

Labels: depression, social-skills

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