Social Skills Series: 3 Coping Skills Techniques For Social Situations

Social skills can be complex for some children. But with these three coping skills, even the most challenging social environments can become less stressful and anxiety-filled.

What Are Coping Skills

Coping skills are behaviors that help a person manage their feelings, thoughts, and memories. Coping can be done in many different ways, though finding the correct method is not always easy. Some examples of coping skills are staying active, practicing relaxation techniques, going out with friends, spending time on hobbies, doing things for others, or even using humor. Coping skills should not be used to ignore problems but rather as a way to help deal with them. 

Why coping skills can be used in social situations?

Coping skills are techniques used to manage our emotions and thoughts. They can be used in any case, no matter how odd or uncomfortable the situation. Skills can be as simple as breathing deeply and slowing down your breathing to help fight stress. Other skills include projecting a clear image, befriending somebody in the room, distracting yourself with thoughts of something you're grateful for, or simply leaving the room.

Tips for children with Autism 

It's important to find safe places where you and your child are comfortable. The more you practice socializing in these situations, the easier it will become. Take a break or cross the room when someone makes you feel uncomfortable. Be sure not to keep socializing if you or your child have a hard time. Remember that avoiding people and places may be necessary when symptoms get overwhelming. It's essential to know your child's limits and recognize them before they happen so that they are not pushed too much into an uncomfortable situation.

3 Coping Skills For Social Situations

When we contact other people, we are not just meeting them. We are also meeting our own expectations for how the encounter should go and how we should behave. Knowing this, some have found that it helps plan in place for social situations before they happen. Three coping skills that can help include: (1) relax, (2) be present, and (3) stay grounded. These skills can help parents assess their child's needs and adjust.

Here’s what a coping plan might look like. Prepare your child for the social situation. Tell your child, "You will be with family and friends at a birthday party. You may have to stay longer than expected. You will play with new toys and friends". Let your child know what they can do to cope in the social setting if anxious. Have your child repeat after you. “If I get frustrated, you can take a deep breath and relax. I will enjoy myself. I will have fun. I will try to make the best of it. I will pay attention to what’s happening around me and stay focused on enjoying myself. If I need to leave, I can take a break. I will press my feet hard on the floor to feel grounded. When I am ready, I can return to the activity."

Conclusion

We hope that this article has helped you identify the best coping skills for your situation. The most important thing is to try different techniques. When you find ones that work for you and your child, then follow them regularly to see improvement in coping skills during social settings.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please email info@behaviormattersllc.com.

Social Skills Series: Top Manners Your Child with Autism Can Learn

Learning good manners is important for every child, but it can be especially difficult with autism. There are some specific behaviors that you should teach your child with autism--they'll help them build good relationships and feel successful in the world. Check out this list of essential manners to teach any child, including those with autism!

What are manners?

Manners are considered a set of social skills that people use to show consideration for other people. They demonstrate respect, politeness, and understanding of social expectations. Teaching your child with autism manners is an integral part of their development due to the many challenges in society. Social challenges can make it hard for them to engage in conversations or make connections. Common difficulties include not using eye contact, not responding when called by name, not initiating interactions with others, and not accepting or declining food offers. Common manners can help your child connect in social situations. 

How to teach your child with autism about manners

It is essential to teach your child with autism about manners. This will make it easier to develop a good relationship with their peers and adults, as they will be able to form genuine friendships. 

You may want to teach your child the etiquette of good behavior and manners while they are young to practice these skills as they grow older. Showing your child how to be respectful and polite to others is a great way to teach them social skills. You must show your child how to behave around others, especially adults.  Teaching manners to a child with autism can be difficult. You might have to make your own system and guide them as they learn new skills. They will eventually have their own understanding of what "polite" looks like, but there are some things you can do to encourage politeness:

- Saying please and thank you

- Helping others

- Eating politely (using a spoon to scoop up food, not digging in with fingers)

- Not interrupting

- Sharing (even when they want it all for themselves)

Different ways to teach your child manners

It can be challenging to teach your child how to behave in public because they may not be able to read social cues. Here are some ways you can help your child learn manners:

- Model the polite behavior you expect your child to exhibit. This will help them learn and understand what is expected of them.

- Make sure they're clear on appropriate behavior by always giving clear, concise instructions two or three times in a row.

- Provide good examples that they might imitate, like telling them about when their behavior was acceptable or unacceptable. Sometimes children will imitate you, and they must copy the right things.

- Be consistent when giving consequences. If your child knows what is acceptable behavior and what's not, they'll be more likely to behave appropriately.

- Provide positive reinforcement when your child is behaving appropriately. 

Conclusion

Learning the social skills of a child with autism requires more than just understanding their developmental needs. Parents need to know how to break down social interactions and teach appropriate responses at each stage so that the child can learn how to effectively communicate, become more confident and self-reliant, and function in public. One of these social skills is manners, which they can learn through modeled behavior.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please email info@behaviormattersllc.com.

Social Skills Series: Teach Kids To Follow Directions

As a parent, you might have noticed that your child has difficulty following directions. This may be because your child is not determined enough or does not know what to do when they get instruction from you. This article will explore teaching children to follow directions through applied behavior analysis. 

What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, and what does it do?

Applied Behavior Analysis is a type of therapy that analyzes people's behavior with different disorders, such as autism, to teach these persons to change their behavior. Focusing on specific behaviors and their antecedents, consequences, or facilitators can help patients identify the cause for their behaviors. From there, therapists will give the patient opportunities for reinforcement after engaging in more desirable behaviors.

How to use ABA to teach kids to follow directions

Applied behavioral analysis is a systematic process of analyzing the behavior of people. The goal is to change their behavior by changing the environment. This technique teaches kids to do tasks by providing step-by-step instructions. The steps are broken down into smaller, more easily accomplished pieces. This helps the person feel that what they are doing is a manageable task and realize that they can do it. For instance, if a child misbehaves when you tell them to do something, they might not remember what you told them or figure out how to do it. In these cases, the program may have a parent prompt their child with instructions at certain times. This technique will help your children understand what they need to do so they don't forget.  

Ways parents can implement the technique at home.

Behavior Analysis is a technique that focuses on improving or changing observable behaviors. Parents can use Behavior Analysis to teach kids to follow directions. The first step is identifying the behavior to be changed, like not taking care of their toys after playing with them. The next step is coming up with an antecedent - what happens before the undesirable behavior? For example, if the child only cleans up after playing when told, "getting out of bed" would be the antecedent. Next, parents identify the consequence for the desirable behaviors (e.g., what follows "getting out of bed?") and implement that consequence when the desired behavior occurs. If the child quickly cleans up after playing with their toys, praise and a five-minute video game break will follow. If they don't clean up, the parent will have to remind and assist them in cleaning up. If they still do not clean up, then the consequence is that they will be required to pick up all their toys before they are allowed to play with them again. This is a behavioral approach because it relies on shaping. 

Conclusion

Behavior analysis is a great way to teach kids to follow directions, but they must be introduced correctly. First, ask the child to repeat what they are supposed to do after being given a direction. If they have not followed the directions, have them do so individually. Next, ask the child if they know what you are asking them to do or if they need assistance with anything before proceeding. Lastly, reinforce positive behavior with praise and rewards for following directions.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please email info@behaviormattersllc.com.

Social Skills Series: Learn How To Help Your Child Listen

Listening is an essential part of communication. It is also an important skill that every child needs to learn at home and school. As soon as children are born, they are trying to figure out how to communicate with the people around them.

What is ABA?

ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis. It is a system of behavioral therapy for people who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or developmental disabilities. The goal of ABA is to help the person improve communication, social skills, and learning abilities by systematically teaching new behaviors. ABA therapists work with the child and their parents to help them understand how their behavior affects others. 

How does ABA therapy work?

Parent-child therapy lessons are designed to be simple, yet they require an investment of time and effort. The process starts with a parent enrolling their child in sessions with a therapist trained in ABA therapy. There is a lot of teaching involved. The therapist will teach the parent to better understand their child's emotions and what triggers the tantrums. The therapist will also help the parent identify things that can be done at home to keep the tantrums from happening again.

Listening skills explained

Listening skills are not innate—the ability to listen well has to be developed. Listening is a skill that needs to be practiced to improve. And, if your child doesn't have the skills they need now, you can teach them. There are many ways for you to practice with your child and help them improve their listening skills. You could ask them questions about what they want to do as a career or what they’ve been doing at school each day.

Help your child learn to listen

To help your child learn to listen, you need to engage their mind. You can do this by using colorful visuals and telling a story while showing what they want to accomplish. This encourages your child to focus on the task and become interested in it. The more they enjoy listening, the more receptive they'll be to what you're saying.

Other Listening Tips for Parents include: 

Use short sentences.

Use short words.

Use simple, easy-to-understand vocabulary.

Speak in your child's normal tone of voice.

Point out the things you see, touch, hear and smell to see if your child is paying attention.

How to use ABA therapy with your child 

Listen carefully to your child. Creating a positive atmosphere with the child will help them maximize their listening skills. Try to be aware of any distractions that might give your child the opportunity not to listen; otherwise, they may not be ready to learn or change. Be patient and understand that there are times when your child will push back. They may refuse to listen but it is important for you to keep encouraging them and help them find their way through this phase.

Conclusion

Here we have explored various ways to help your child listen. Some of these ideas may seem like common sense, but they can make a big difference. Implementing these tactics will show your child that you are someone who cares about them.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please send an email to info@behaviormattersllc.com