Teaching social etiquette for teens might be a daunting task for parents but it’s quite imperative. Teens, when taught basic social skills in their early years, tend to become more socially responsible towards everything as they grow up.

The Importance of Social Skills

It’s true that most of the teens neglect listening to their adults as they want to exercise their own freedom or act independently. However, from parents’ point of view, teaching basic life etiquette or social skills is important as it becomes an indicator of their maturity level. What they learn in their younger years, be it actions or language, will remain embedded in their minds for the entirety of their lives. When they have been taught well about basic social skills, they would not face problems while overcoming the difficulties in life and also won’t succumb to peer pressure entirely. To cope with the rising peer pressure and societal pressure, teens must be trained in a way to feel confident around people and struggle to find their place in the world.

Parents can make their teens learn the social etiquette by listening and answering to their questions without being judgmental. Mostly, parents do get irritated when teens come up to them and ask most basic questions. The key is not to get upset with their queries and handle them meticulously instead.  

We have listed down some helpful social skills that would definitely help teens not only in their teenage years but also later in life.

Communication Skills

Communication plays an integral role in every aspect of our lives. Parents need to make sure their teens understand the importance of communication. Teens need to learn how to hold engaging conversations with others while in school, parties, or on dates. They should know how to engage others in interesting conversations.

Basic Mannerisms

Both boys and girls should be taught basic manners so they can apply them to various situations as the need arises.

Follow RSVP to events

By following RSVP of various events, teens pay respect to the host and it also gives the host a chance to plan the events accordingly. Keeping up with the events and reaching the place right on time shows a positive way to build trust and gain respect among your social circle.

Conduct in Outdoor Places

Starting from the childhood, parents must make their kids learn how to behave in outdoor places like restaurants. When kids learn how to act courteously in an outdoor place, it becomes more easy and natural for them to behave similarly even after growing into adulthood. Therefore, parents must teach them the do’s and don’ts of outdoor places and make them follow the conduct in outdoor places.

Send Thank You Notes

When someone has done something good for you, it’s always a pleasant idea to write them a thank you note to make them feel appreciated. It only takes a few minutes to pen down a thank you note, therefore you should make your teens realize that by doing this little effort, they can bring a smile to other’s face. The best way to practice this social skill would be to send a thank you note to all the people who’ve attended your birthday party and have brought gifts for you.

Put Others at Comfort

Making others feel comfortable around you is one of the social skills that is hard to develop. If your teens have mastered the art of putting others at ease or making their friends comfortable around them, then surely, they will attract strangers as more people would also like to befriend them. This way your teens can develop a stronger influence among their social circle and help others come out of their shells. Remember, your teens will only develop this social skill if you’ve done that to them. Therefore, parents need to open up with their kids and have conversations with them so their kids can feel at ease.