Socialization and Children

I've definitely had to do outside things for my daughter for socialization. Our neighbors literally kept to themselves, even with those with the same age - so that didn't work out. She doesn't have any cousins locally - and they're not anywhere near her age anyway. Our friends mostly do not have kids or have kids that are teens. So we never had many children around in the sense of convenience, so I've really had to get her "out". Let's see . . . my almost 5 daughter started going to MyGym when she was 8 months old. We took a class once a week with a bunch of other mommies and babies. That was the start. She was losing interest around age 3, so we went on to parks and recreation classes. And then onto a parent education program with me, where she could be around other kids her age. In essence, she's been in a lot of classes so she could hang out with other children while learning a thing or two. Along the way, we've made some friends. We'd do playdates with them, go places, parties, etc. My cousin's wife and I hooked up on Facebook, and though we live a distance away from each other, we met halfway with them to a cool park and their kids got along really well with my daughter - so we say "they" are her cousins now. Otherwise, we've gone to tons and tons of different parks, indoor playgrounds, kids club events at various malls - anywhere where I can find children!!!! Last summer we found these girls that were sitting on the rocking chairs in the food court area at this one mall . . . my daughter jumped in with them and they were all singing for a good hour on those chairs. So cute! We've had a lot of random incidents where my daughter got to play with kids when we weren't planning to - she loves that. Anyhow . . . for the most part I think it's a good thing, of course for my daughter. For me, it's been nice exchanging stories with other moms - we can all always relate. On the flip side, the negative side, I don't always "like" the company of some of these moms . . . I can deal with them, but I'd really rather not, but that's the way it is when you deal with a crowd of moms.

When my daughters were very young, they played often with cousins and the children of friends, and when around 3, went to nursury school. And always, there was Sunday school. All of this helped them enter school well-adjusted and socialize with ease. I did not re-enter the outside work world until they were old enough not to need daycare, so I was very blessed to be able to do that. Karen

hello...children need to be socialized..it will help them for their future...they get to know about the society they live in...about good and bad..its the duty of parents to make them socialize...every parent should be involved to make their children socialize... As a parent i make my children to go out with their friends..i have joined them in playschools...in different kind of classes in which they are interested....in this way they will be interested to meet others and can learn what they want to..

Well how we have had to incoorperate play and socialization for our children has been very different than the norm. We have two children with autism so soical therapy is at the key of their treatment plan. I have worked very hard to get them to soical skills training 3 times week. I use a modified system of PECS Picture Exchange Communication System, develope my own soical stories for them. All these things have worked very well for our children and now you couldnt even tell they have autsim. We have been very lucky all the therapy and intensive soical skills training has paid off. Now for children that are not special needs kids, soical skill training i think its equally important. Socialization is the basis for good communication skills and coping skills later in life. It sounds like you have worked very hard to provide your kids to the very best start you can. You will notice this so much when they get to the teen years, how much better off they are then some of their peers. Youre a great MOM! Dont think that us moms hear that often enough.

Well my kids have never had to go to daycare so they never got a lot of socialization unless we had playdates or something I tried to do something at least once a week to help my son get use to be around other kids but we didn't really know anyone with a boy his age so most of his playdates were with girls a year or 2 older and sometimes they got really bossy. But now he is in 3 yr old preschool and the class is 2/3rds boys and he has made so much progress we have also started swimming lessons and he is doing so much better around his peers. My daughter seems to be much more social right away but I think it helps that she has always had an older brother around plus I think it is just more of her personality.

Hi There, well.. Children need their peers for social interaction. Leave children in daycare, I think it's fine. as long as the child feel comfortable and not bothered. (although I'm not married and had children) Dan.. ^_^

Hello :), I'm not really a parent and its a long time for me. Id I was a parent although I know nothing about it, its mostly about taking care and making sure the younger one grows perfectly as the society around but we should also keep in mind to make sure we let them do what they want to. I think thats when some kids get bullied, they try too hard to fit in, they should just be themselves and the other manners will come with time. Thats just how i feel :)

Living on a Banana farm in a remote area deprived my chuildren of being having play dates etc. Actuhally I had never heard of that term and their were no datcare centres etc but the three boys had each other abd us abd yes, they didm give many problems went starting school. Or rather the first and third boy. The girl whomcame 7 years after third sion did not givr any trouble. You do what you have to do under circumstances that were not ideal. They are all well adjusted as adults and we are still a tight family unit.

I push my children to socialize whith other children,telling them to ask for the name if tey are child who don't know, or I invite other child to my house for to play.Ii's difficult for children to socialize, for this reason I think being better to give them a hand.

Hi Dorannmwin, When my children were small, they had their cousins of their own age to play with. They had one cousin who lived with us until my oldest son was about 2 years old. Then on Sundays, we always had this small family gatherings where we visit my late husband's sister's house to have lunch. Sometimes we had the whole of Sunday to enjoy each other's company. The children had so much fun during that day and were always excited and looked forward to Sundays. Other days, we had some of the neighbors' children come inside our yard and they played with my children. My oldest son went to this play group when he was 4 years old. He fully developed good social interaction with other children his age while in school.

Hi dorannmwin,Socialization is a very good way to develop our children's attitutde.we must let our children be expose,explore and experienced as part of their child hood days.Have a nice day!

I have started taking my son to playgroup as well since I noticed that he's not into playing with others just himself or an adult. He's still getting used to the environment and I think it has a positive effect and is a good thing. Socialzation is important and learning to be good at it early on is healthy. I wish he could accept it more readily but it's taking time. We'll see how things progress.

I believe in exposing your children to others their own age at a young age will make them better more well-rounded people in the long run. I don't have children of my own, but I remember I was about two when I started pre-school. and then I went to FSDB at the age of four, and graduated high school in 2002 at the age of 18. So my entire life has been nothing but schooling, and quite frankly I didn't like it so am not and never have been in college. But, I do think play groups and bulding good social skills at an early age makes them better people as adults.

socialization is not a simple process. it start firstly at home ..every child first get lessons at6 his/her home from parents , siblings and other relatives. and if we have giving good discipline and thoughts to our child then only he can serve in socialization process. other wise he become the part of that society which we never expect..