Social Support Resources
Building social support for kids involves creating environments that foster connections and friendships. By creating opportunities for interaction, teaching social skills, and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, kids can develop strong social connections that contribute to their overall well-being. Here, you'll find some simple ways to help them.
How does play help develop social skills?
From a very early age play helps children learn the life skills they need to grow into confident, compassionate creative adults.
Information on building social support
- Communication dos and dont's | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Expect respect: healthy relationships | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Gender-diverse and transgender children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Growing independence: tips for parents of young children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Treating children as individuals | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Understanding your child's temperament: why it's important | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 13 popular gratitude exercises and activities (positivepsychology.com) | Positive Psychology
- Cultivating an attitude of gratitude (national alliance on mental illness) | National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Family arguments | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Gratitude helps minimize feelings of stress (psychology today) | Psychology Today
- Gratitude journal (Greater Good Science Center at University of California, Berkeley) | University of California, Berkley
- Gratitude works | Centers for Disease Control
- How kindness toward others can make us feel better, too | American Academy of Pediatrics
- How to get involved with your child's school | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Kindness: how a simple act can make a big difference | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Making gratitude part of your family's wellness plan | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Parents: be a good sport too | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Perfectionism: how to help your child avoid the unhealthy effects | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Staying cool when things heat up | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Time management: 5 ways to help teens find less stress, more balance | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Adolescent sexuality: talk the talk before they walk the walk | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Communicating beyond the family | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Communicating with your teen: avoiding the 'should do' | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Communication skills start at home | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Connecting with your preteen | Cook Children's
- Dating and sex | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Healthy self-care for teens: how parents can help | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Helping teens resist pressure to try drugs | American Academy of Pediatrics
- How to communicate with and listen to your teen | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Improving family communications | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Improving family communications | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Perfectionism: how to help your child avoid the pitfalls | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Talking to your child about sex | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Teen love connection | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Tips to support your teen graduating from high school | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Use shared play to build communication skills | American Academy of Pediatrics
- When & how to talk with your child about sex | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Your child's first crush | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 14 ways to show your child love: Valentine's day and every day | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Apps and games with diverse characters
- Are we a normal functioning family | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Celebrating heritage: tips for parents | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Coming out: information for parents of LGBTQ teens | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Communication and discipline | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Effective parenting | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Next stop adulthood: tips for parents | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Recommended reading: books to build character and teach your child important values | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Recommended reading: diverse and inclusive books for children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Share your values | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Small families | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Teaching children cultural and racial pride | American Academy of Pediatrics
- The “perfect” family | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Using books to talk with kids about race and racism | American Academy of Pediatrics
- When to let your teenager start dating | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Your family rituals | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 5 questions to ask before a playdate | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 5 superpowers you can give your children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 5 ways to help your kids have a healthy school year | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Building blocks for healthy self esteem in kids | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Getting to know your child's friends: tips for parents | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Growing independence: tips for parents of young children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Shyness in children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Staying cool when things heat up | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Staying out late and curfews | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Ways to build your teenager's self-esteem | American Academy of Pediatrics
- What parents can do to support friendships | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Why quality matters in early child care: AAP policy explained | American Academy of Pediatrics
- 3 ways for teens to practice gratitude | Cook Children's
- 3 ways to practice gratitude | Cook Children's
- 6 ways summer jobs benefit teens | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Babysitting Safety Basics
- Community-based resilience-building | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Extracurricular activities for teens | Cook Children's
- Helping teens develop gratitude | Cook Children's
- Helping teens connect with their community
- How to inspire generosity in children | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Jobs and volunteering for teens | Cook Children's
- My child plays with an imaginary friend. Should I be concerned? | American Academy of Pediatrics
- School and teens | American Academy of Pediatrics
- Volunteering | Cook Children's
- Volunteering opportunities| Volunteer Match for your location
- Volunteering with your child | Cook Children's
- Volunteering with your child | Cook Children's
- What parents can do to support friendships | American Academy of Pediatrics
- World's longest-running study of happiness | Harvard Health
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