Friendship for Kids
Fun is not so Frivolous Why Friendship for Kids is Important For Children with Special Needs
Friendship for kids is very important, especially for children with special needs. Kids with disabilities struggle daily because of their limitations. While making friends is especially important, often it's sometime difficult to come by for many reasons.
Friendship for kids helps them feel accepted and builds their self confidence
Parents of special needs children spend a lot of effort helping their children to learn, strengthen their skills, and discover how to cope in the world. They will read their kids a book, search for the finest educational facility, and seek out the best medical attention available. But yet they often overlook making time for their kids social activities.
Friendship for kids builds kids emotional intelligence and helps them perform better in school
It's tough to be the parent of a disabled child. They juggle a lot to care for their kids. Making regular time to focus on building kids emotional iq is equally important. In fact, that single factor can often make a measureable impact on kids. Friendship for kids helps kids feel good about themselves. And when they feel self assured, they get better grades. It also helps them communicate better socially with the other children.
Study Asks How Parents Can Make Time to Focus on Friendship for Kids
Seeing the importance of this issue, one has to ask how can we make a better focus in education to build children's social skills too? The Adult Facilitation of Social Integration Study conducted a first of it's kind study by the University of Michigan to study the relationship of children with disabilities and their social development.
One key finding was the kids with special needs experience more harmony in their relationships with their parents set up playdates for them with other kids. However, kids without disabilities didn't seem to feel the same impact with less of a focus on arranging playtimes.
Daniel Golemen Write About the Importance of Emotional Intelligence Gained Through Friendship for Kids
The book "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman talks about the benfits of emotional intelligence. He shares insights about how much "emotional literacy" affects both children and adults.
Friendships benefit children in a number of ways. The memories of children friends and shared fun times are long lasting. Play sessions with other children help special needs children gain social skills. Through their imaginative play and conversations they learn more about relating to others in a multitude of situations. That's why it's important for parents to actively seek play sessions for their children and schedule them regularly.
So parents of children with disabilities, put on their play clothes, get some games organized and invite some kids over to have some silly, joyful and--as it turns out--not so frivolous fun.
For ideas on games and toys appropriate for children of all abilities go to www.ableplay.org. AblePlay is a website that researches, rates and reviews current toys for children with special needs. AblePlay is part of the nonprofit National Lekotek Center, the leading authority on play for children with disabilities www.lekotek.org.
