Front Cover -- Copyright -- Dedication -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Introduction -- A Walk Down Maple Street -- Seven Steps to Improve Your Child's Social Skills -- Conclusions and Appendixes -- Step 1 Understand the Social Mindset and Its Significance -- Step 2 Target Social Skills for Improvement -- The Uniqueness of Each Child -- Developmental Milestones -- Decision Tree -- Speech and Language Problems -- Motor Skills Problems -- Social Learning Disability -- Intellectual Processing Problems -- Learning Disabilities -- Problems with Self-Discipline -- Worried and Helpless Behavior -- Defining Your Child's Social Skills and Mindset -- Social Skills Assessment -- Social Skills Target Worksheet -- Tackling the Problem -- Summary -- Step 3 Help Your Child Become an Active Participant -- Nurturing an Optimistic Mindset -- Being Empathic -- Destigmatizing and Demystifying Worry and Anxiety -- Creating a Plan with Your Child -- The Social Autopsy -- Teaching Your Child About Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors -- Developing Strategies with Your Child -- Changing Negative Scripts and Mindsets -- Summary -- Step 4 Employ Strategies to Improve Social Skills -- Thinking About Thoughts and Feelings -- Thinking About Actions and Reactions -- Summary -- Step 5 Practice Social Interactions -- When -- Why -- How -- Practice Makes Perfect -- Practicing in the Family -- Practicing in the "Real World" -- Summary -- Step 6 Assess and Solve Problems -- Challenged Parenting -- Change Starts with You -- Change Takes Time -- Power Struggles -- Unclear Expectations -- Excuses and Avoidance -- Too Much Reassurance -- Being Too Directive -- Becoming Impatient -- When Your Child Is Passive -- When Your Child Is Excessively Worried or Fearful -- When Developmental Impairments Lead to Social Immaturity -- When Children Are Impulsive.

When Language and Learning Problems Impair Socialization -- When Children Are Aggressive -- Not Knowing When More Is Needed -- Summary -- Step 7 Nurture a Resilient Mindset in Your Child -- Making Children Feel Special and Appreciated -- Loving Unconditionally -- Nurturing Islands of Competence -- Teaching Children to Learn from Mistakes -- Developing Responsibility, Compassion, and a Social Conscience -- Summary -- Conclusion -- Appendix A: A Guide for Medical and Mental Health Professionals -- Appendix B: A Guide for Educators -- Index -- Back Cover.