Today’s episode is all about social skills, but from an updated lens
that really speaks to the lived experiences of today’s kids. My guest is
writer and journalist Catherine Newman, and we’re going to dive into
her new book, What Can I Say? A Kids Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself.
What Can I Say is aimed at kids ages 10 and up, and it
includes practical and accessible advice to help kids and teens learn
social skills, including everything from introduce themselves, express empathy, be persuasive, and apologize to compromise, ask for help, be grateful, and comfort a friend.
In this conversation, Catherine and talk about why learning social
and interpersonal skills are more important than ever for our kids,
despite the fact that their lives are evolving to include more time
spent online. We also talk about the climate for social emotional learning and ways parents and educators can to reinforce the social skills our kids are learning.
About Catherine
Catherine Newman is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novel We All Want Impossible Things
(forthcoming, Harper, November 2022). She edits the non-profit kids’
cooking magazine ChopChop, writes the etiquette column for Real Simple
magazine, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The
Oprah Magazine, Parents magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other
publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.
Key Takeaways
- Why it’s still important to learn
social skills and interpersonal skills even though our kids’ lives are
evolving to include more time spent online
- Why it’s important to spend time learning social skills just as we would learn any other type of skill like algebra or singing
- The importance of learning
interpersonal skills that focus on empathy, setting boundaries, being
curious, and being supportive and inclusive of people with different
identities
- How OT can help neurodivergent kids grow up with advanced social emotional skills
- What parents and educators can do to support and reinforce the social skills they are learning
Resources Mentioned
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