Use Social Stories to Help Kids Navigate Important Transitions

If only there was an episode of Bluey for every problem you face as a parent of young children. If only there was a book that was specific enough to reflect your child’s exact concerns about the new scenario. But maybe there is: Social stories, a tool used by mental health professionals such as psychologists and occupational therapists, are a way to personalize your child’s situation and turn it into a story that can help them navigate new experiences.

What are social stories?

Social stories were created by Carol Gray , who defines them as “a social learning tool that supports safe and meaningful communication between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages .” Gray describes himself as “a counselor for children, adolescents, and adults with autism” who “provides support through workshops and presentations, information, referrals, resources, and direct services to people with autism, their families, and professionals working with their problems.” on behalf of.” (Note that many people prefer to be called “autistic person” rather than “person with autism”, and hereinafter you will see the first usage.)

Capitalized “Social Stories” refers to trademarked material Gray creates that meets a set of ten of Gray’s definition criteria. When we talk about social stories (without caps), we take Gray’s concept and adapt it to our own use. These less formal social stories are personalized, usually illustrated books that you can make for or with any child, not just children with autism, to help them cope with the transition, learn about a new concept, or practice social skills in a safe environment. fictional space. . People find these stories especially helpful for anxious children or those with ADHD, executive function weakness, or other obstacles to their attention or learning.

How social stories can be a useful tool

You don’t have to be a mental health professional to create and use social stories. “Social stories allow children to grasp new ideas or plans in their free time, which often helps reduce their anxiety levels when processing new information that can be anxiety-inducing,” says Dr. Emily W. King , a child psychologist and former schoolgirl. psychologist. Instead of simply explaining or suggesting a new concept to a child, King says, “I use social stories when I’m trying to help a student become more independent through skills or process change without requiring verbal language. or the other person’s time frame” or “process big feelings about difficult situations.” The ability to look at a visual aid like a book and revise it helps many children take in information and respond to it in a way that suits them.

Like an episode of Bluey’s Neighborhood or Daniel Tiger , social stories are suitable for many types of scenarios that your child may encounter or need to get used to, such as:

• The first day at school
• Traveling by plane for the first time
• Preparing for a medical procedure
• Death and commemoration of a loved one
• Living with a new nanny
• Birth of a brother or sister

Anything your child experiences can be a good social story. “Social stories can help a child better understand what is about to happen so they can imagine what the situation will be like with the story and images about them before they are in the situation in real time,” says King.

How to make a social story

To create your own personalized story for your child, first identify an issue you would like to work on with your child. All of Grey’s social stories are told from the perspective of a child, which is usually most effective, although you can also use a familiar character, toy, or other avatar. King says: “It’s important to put the situation from your child’s point of view, walk them through the story, talk about how they might be feeling, how they can deal with what they’re feeling, and how they’ll feel when they get to the end. stories”. Going through each step helps reduce children’s anxiety and makes them feel they are capable of handling the situation.

Use illustrations, especially since many children who would benefit from social stories may not yet be reading. You can print pictures, draw or use photos of your child and other familiar things to make it as personalized as possible. “For travel, it can be helpful to create a digital social story that kids can scroll through that is easy to create with social story apps ,” says King. Making a digital copy also helps so that multiple caregivers can have the story on hand or in case the physical copy gets torn or smudged.

Your child may want to help build a social story together, which can give them additional opportunities. Once you have a social story, read it together, ask your child to share it with other caregivers, friends, or siblings if they want, and reread it as many times as you like. Change or update it as needed. An effective social story will help your child visualize the experience or situation and feel less anxious, more prepared, and more organized.