Social Confidence Strategies Handout

Use this handout to review the three core strategies introduced in Unlocking Social Confidence and personalize them for your child.

1. Active Listening & Validation

When we listen actively, we give our full attention, reflect feelings, and invite our child to share more. This builds trust and helps them feel understood.

Practice:

• Reflective Statements: Write three phrases you can use to show you’ve heard your child’s feelings:

• Open Questions: Craft two questions that encourage your child to elaborate when they seem upset or shy:

2. Modeling Positive Interactions

Children learn by watching. Narrating your own calm, friendly interactions helps them see how to engage with others.

Practice:

• Describe a recent social situation your child faced. How could you have narrated your own actions out loud in that moment?

• Write one example of modeling turn-taking or empathy (e.g., greeting a neighbor, sharing a toy):

3. Using the Emotion Thermometer

The Emotion Thermometer Poster is a visual tool that helps children recognize and communicate rising stress or excitement levels.

Practice:

• List three emotions your child often experiences (e.g., “nervous,” “frustrated,” “excited”) and describe one sign for each (body language or words):

• Plan how you will introduce the thermometer at home. What will you say or demonstrate first?

4. At-Home Action Plan

Based on the strategies above, write 2–3 specific steps you will take this week to support your child’s social confidence:

I commit to: _______________________________________________________________________

5. Reflection & Resources

1. What is one social goal you have for your child in the next month?
   
   
   
   

2. If you need additional support, what resource or person will you turn to?
   
   
   
   

For further practice, try these activity tools:

• Real-Life Scenario Cards
• Role-Play Cue Cards

Keep this handout as a reference and revisit it often as you help your child build social confidence!

Real-Life Scenario Cards

Use these scenario cards for role-play. Each card presents a common social challenge. In your small group, take turns playing the child and the parent, applying strategies from the workshop.

Card 1: The Shy Playground
A new child arrives at the playground. Your child stands on the edge of the sandbox, watching others play but too shy to join in. How do you encourage them to make the first move?

Card 2: First-Day Jitters
It’s the first day of a playgroup. Your child clings to you and refuses to speak or participate. How do you use active listening and validation to ease their anxiety?

Card 3: Birthday Bash Overwhelm
At a friend’s birthday party, the noise and crowd become overwhelming. Your child covers their ears and looks for a way out. How can you model calm interactions and introduce the emotion thermometer?

Card 4: Losing at Game Night
During a family board game, your child loses and slams the game board, shouting in frustration. How can you validate their feelings and guide them toward positive self-talk?

Card 5: Reluctant Greeter
At a neighborhood gathering, an adult your child doesn’t know warmly greets them. Your child turns away and refuses to say “hello.” How do you model a friendly greeting and support their confidence?

Card 6: Sports Day Upset
During a soccer match, your child misses an easy goal and kicks the ball at a teammate. How do you address the aggressive reaction and reinforce sportsmanship?

Card 7: Messy Lunchtime
Your child accidentally spills juice on another child’s lunch. They feel embarrassed and freeze. How do you help them apologize and repair the social moment?

Card 8: New Friend Introduction
Your child wants to join a group of kids building blocks but is unsure how. They hover silently. How can you coach them to use an open question or invitation?

Card 9: Reading Aloud Fear
In a small reading circle, the teacher invites your child to read aloud. Your child shakes and says they can’t. What validation and modeling strategies can you use?

Card 10: Sharing Dilemma
A classmate asks to borrow your child’s favorite toy. Your child clutches it and refuses. How do you encourage empathy and turn-taking through role modeling?

Role-Play Cue Cards

Use these cards during role-play to remind yourself of key strategies and questions. Each card prompts you to apply a core technique and reflect on its impact.

Cue Card 1: Active Listening Reminder
• Make eye contact and adopt open body language.
• Begin with: “I hear that you’re feeling…”
• Follow up: “Can you tell me more?”

Cue Card 2: Validation Prompt
• Reflect the child’s emotions: “It sounds like you’re feeling…”
• Acknowledge their experience: “I understand why that’s tough.”
• Pause to give them space to respond.

Cue Card 3: Modeling Positive Interaction
• Narrate a social action: “First, I say hi and smile.”
• Demonstrate turn-taking: “Now it’s your turn.”
• Use a calm, friendly tone.

Cue Card 4: Emotion Thermometer Cue
• Point to the Emotion Thermometer Poster.
• Ask: “Where are you on the thermometer right now?”
• Guide a calming strategy: “Let’s take a deep breath if we’re here.”

Cue Card 5: Encouragement & Reinforcement
• Use specific praise: “You did a great job saying hello.”
• Suggest next steps: “What else could you try?”
• End with: “I’m proud of how you handled that.”

Cue Card 6: Open-Ended Question Prompt
• Ask: “What do you think might happen next?”
• Encourage problem-solving: “How could we handle it if…”
• Listen without interrupting.

Cue Card 7: Reflection & Next Steps
• After role-play, ask: “What felt easy? What felt hard?”
• Identify one takeaway: “Next time, I will…”
• Commit to an at-home action using your handout.