Social Skills Tip O' The Day

Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #13: Mental Apps: Defining Conversation Topics & How to Use Them
Mike Fogel Mike Fogel

Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #13: Mental Apps: Defining Conversation Topics & How to Use Them

Let’s define a conversation TOPIC as a file or an app that has a TITLE. When you click on the app, everything about that app opens up on your screen, and you can use it or play the game. Our minds have “files” with titles for each thing you know about or do. In a coversation, two or more people click on the same app and open those files. Then, you can share information and ask each other about them. Read more about how to use these mental files to make conversation easier!

Read More
Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #14: How to Participate Excellently in Cooperative & Competitive Play
Mike Fogel Mike Fogel

Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #14: How to Participate Excellently in Cooperative & Competitive Play

Not all play is created the same! You need to play differently when it is cooperative imaginative play versus when you are playing something competitive like a board game or sports. The goal in BOTH is to have fun. But each has its own special objective. Cooperative play is to extend the play sequence and play LONGER. Make the fun go on and on. The goal with competitive play is to earn another game by keeping it fun with sportsmanship. You need to be a good sport both when you win AND lose. How do you achieve these goals? Read this Tip O’ The Day!

Read More
Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #11: The Overscheduled Child
Mike Fogel Mike Fogel

Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip #11: The Overscheduled Child

Here is an email question I received from a parent asking whether their child is overscheduled with therapies and activities:

Parent: My son has swimming and basketball on Saturday, social skills groups with you on Tuesday, and a cooking class on Wednesdays. He always loved gymnastics and I would like to sign him up, but is that too many activities? How do I know how much is too much?

Me: Good question! It is always good to assess how your child’s activity/therapy load impacts them. First, consider…

Read More