Provide explicit instructions
Children often need to be given direct, explicit instructions about how to behave in specific social situations. For example, a child may need to be told that it is important to say "hello" back when somebody greets them, or to smile when approaching a child to ask to join in a game. Of course, this kind of instruction is provided all of the time by parents and teachers who remind children to say "thank you" or not to interrupt when someone else is talking. However, there are often significant gaps in this instruction. For example, while most children are instructed to say "please" and "thank you", fewer are explicitly told how to be a "good sport" ("Don't comment on another player's poor moves or bad luck. Don't taunt someone for losing. Accept bad luck without complaining." etc.) Learning these skills is not easy, and most children will need to be told the same information many times before they learn it fully.