Although most of the visitors to Improve Your Social Skills are adults, I do get a lot of questions from parents who are interested in social skills training for their kids. Sometimes it's because the kids have Asperger's or a similar condition, and sometimes it's just because kids are kids and need a little help learning the social skills.
While Improve Your Social Skills (and most other resources) can be adapted to work with kids, it's great to find resources that are specifically designed for kids. That's why I'm excited to tell you about Being Frank, a book about a kid named Frank who is, well, too frank.
Frank says exactly what is on his mind at all times. This gets him into trouble.
Eventually, Frank has a conversation with his grandfather Earnest, who tells him about things like discretion and tact. Clearly plot is not this book's strong point, but that's fine -- it's a kids book.
I really like it not just because it's a fun read, but because it really opens up opportunities for dialogue between parents and kids (especially kids with Asperger's or a similar condition.)
I can see the book being used to start conversations about "Hey, remember when you told that kid at recess he smelled funny?" in a way that is engaging and comfortable for the kid, or as a jumping off point for games like "Let's say something in a rude way, and then figure out how to phrase it in a polite way."
I remember that during my own social skills improvement, it was a huge help that I felt like my parents were partners, instead of dictators telling me what to do. I think that Being Frank might be a great resource for parents to help them partner with their kids to work on social skills and tactfulness, instead of just laying down the law. If you're a parent of a kid who struggles with social skills, or you know someone who is, check out Being Frank!
You can buy Being Frank at Amazon, or from the publisher, Flashlight Press. Please note that I don't receive any compensation for reviewing products or sites (other than Amazon affiliate tags), which means that if I say I like something, I really do like it.
Hopefully you'll like Being Frank as well -- if you read it, let me know what you think in the comments!
