Week 25: TALK IT OUT –
“I don’t want to play with you!”
“You‘re not my friend anymore”
“Fine, I will do my own thing without you!”
When faced with a tricky friendship situation, young children can resort to unkind words like these, or they might shut down. Experiencing conflicts with friends is a part of growing up, but given some practical tools, kids can learn to work through heated emotions and move toward solving problems.
Having effective communication skills is crucial in navigating disagreements among friends. (That goes for adults too!) When children can verbalize what they are thinking and feeling and really listen to each other, they develop perspective. Having feelings recognized, heard, and understood is the first step in finding a resolution. This week, the Puppet Pals have some disagreements with their friends. They learn to tell each other what they are thinking, what they said at the moment, and what they are feeling. Each gets a turn to share and a time to listen. The Think/Say/Feel strategy provides structure in teaching some solid social communication skills. After hearing their friend’s point of view, they are able to solve the problem together.
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