Image: Flickr/Ze’ev Barkan

“Your responsibility as a parent is not as great as you might imagine. You need not supply the world with the next conqueror of disease or major motion-picture star. If your child simply grows up to be someone who does not use the word collectible as a noun, you can consider yourself an unqualified success.” (Fran Lebowitz)

As parents, we want our children to be successful. So, we help them discover their talents, and we give them opportunity to develop those talents to their fullest. That’s all fine and dandy, but — too often — we get so wrapped up in developing these talents that we forget about the simpler skills in life.

I’m talking about social skills. Looking people in the eye when talking to them. Shaking hands with a firm grip. Sitting up straight. Speaking clearly with confidence. These skills, in the long run, will be much more valuable in the real world, and we do our children a disservice if we don’t make a point of incorporating those little life lessons into our daily routines.

Of course, like everything else we talk about at ScreamFree, it begins with you. Focus on your own social skills and watch your child develop right alongside you.