Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Improving social skills?

1 reply

Betterbet · 06/02/2013 10:17

Does anybody have any advice on helping a nearly 5 yo socialise? My DS is in Reception and I am getting slightly concerned about his interactions with his class. He wants to playfight all the time, which I am not used to and find quite hard to deal with, although atm I am trying to chill out about it.

He acts quite confrontationally and boastfully, eg "I've got way more Hot Wheels than you" which understandably does not go down that well.

At home he is lovely, although knackered from school at the moment, plays lovely imaginative games with DD age 3, board games etc, although he is very physical has never wanted to play "rough" at home. He seems happy enough at school - I don't get much feedback from him as he is usually exhausted by pick up time. His teacher just says "He plays with everybody" and "it's just boys being boys" when I have expressed concern to her.

He has not been invited on any "playdates". I have had 2 boys home so far - 1 where they basically wrestled all the time and were totally overexcited, then the other boy has some SN and they mainly played separately.

I don't want him to get a reputation for being "rough" or horrible, and I don't think that is the real him - he is just physical, competitive and rather socially awkward. I would like to guide him in being kind to his friends and get him playing "nicely" - anything I can do?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
bassingtonffrench · 06/02/2013 11:37

the teacher sounds a little bit dismissive. reception should be about learning these types of skill so perhaps bring it up again a bit more confidently, especially if you have a parents evening soon.

He sounds a bit tired and overwhelmed. I would try to observe the interactions he is good at (like with his sister for example) and try to develop and build on those rather than trying to impose too much in the way of clubs/playdates etc..

play dates can be great, but they can also be counter productive. not everyone does them in reception when kids are tired.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page