A Book Review: How to Help Your Child Socially

Hi everyone!

For today’s blog, I’d like to share a book which I’ve been using to help my daughter with her interactions with friends. Caitlin has an easy time making friends, but sometimes understanding others’ social cues can be a problem.

For more information on how ADD can affect our children’s understanding of verbal and nonverbal speech, check out this excellent article by ADDitude Magazine.

The book I’m using with my daughter to help her navigate her way is Natasha Daniels' Social Skills Activities for Kids: 50 Fun Exercises for Making Friends, Talking and Listening, and Understanding Social Rules. Whew! That’s a long title. But it perfectly encapsulates how this book can catch and hold your child’s attention.

First, it’s a workbook. Inside, children can read stories, perform activities, and engage in role play. The pages are colorful and fun so that children feel engaged and excited.

Second, it’s full of bright pictures of children who look just like my daughter – sometimes they’re happy and having fun and other times they may be alone and frustrated. I think that Caitlin enjoys the book because she sees herself on every page.

I was first alerted to Social Skills Activities by a friend of mine whose son also has ADD. In her case, she used some of the book’s scenarios to engage the whole family in role play. In our family, we’ve been taking the book out at bedtime. We’ve found that it serves as a relaxing and positive way to end the day.

Sharing this book makes me wonder: what books have you read or used that have helped you navigate your child’s ADD? I’d love to hear about them! Leave your ideas in the comments here or post a review on our Facebook or Instagram pages.

We can help our children through this, one day – and one page – at a time.