With preschools and daycares in transition and case counts fluctuating, COVID has given parents plenty to worry about. One prominent concern among parents stems from a lack of socialization. None of us are socializing much, but given all the information out there suggesting socialization with other children is important, parents are particularly worried about their children not interacting with peers.

 

In this episode, we look at how toddlers socialize and how we, as adults, can help them build those skills at home. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Nekole Eaton, a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in child development. You can find her at Kids OT Help on YouTube, where she has built an audience of almost 90,000 subscribers.

Key Takeaways:

[1:22] What kind of socialization most benefits children at a young age?

[3:50] How can parents simulate foundational socialization with their children at home? 

[5:02] What can parents do to impart the lessons that come from disagreements when the playgrounds are closed? 

[6:11] Is it the same to Zoom a grandparent as it is to watch a show or to play a game? 

[8:48] Children can effectively learn basic social skills through caregivers, parents, grandparents, and aunts.

[9:56] Nekole shares how she is socializing her son.

[12:01] On some days, just holding it together during these challenging times is enough.

[14:40] Jessica summarizes the takeaways from her conversation with Nekole. 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

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Kids OT Help on YouTube