Does anyone else think that social skills are being lost with the younger generation? We see so many questions on what do in basic social situations. I think we may have to start having classes in school where they have to put away their phones and learn to actually talk to each other.

Yes, social skills are buried under the electronics that young people depend on. So many long distance relationships built through social media without ever meeting in person with questions about love and spending eternity with someone that they've never even met.

Texting relationships with people that are 10 feet away from each other without ever speaking to one another. It just blows my mind.

I couldn't agree more ! I see very little in the way these kids use any social skills. I see these questions and it really makes wonder as we handled most of this stuff ourselves when we were kids. I think they should have at least one class in every school year from Jr. High on up. I agree with you 100% Gator. I see them walking down my street with their faces buried in a screen. Kind of sad actually.

Yes. That's mostly with those raised by helicopter, overbearing, overprotective parents.

Gator Blu,

What your question reminds me...so much basic, personal communication that we have always just taken for granted, it actually does appear to be a learned skill.

I was surprised at that.

YES .. I do agree. 

It's true that texting and social media are making kids inept at face-to-face interaction but such things didn't exist in my day and I was still pretty inept. The awkward questions we see on Blurtit are similar to those I'd have been too embarrassed to ask.

Remember yesterday's question from a kid whose mother had taken her phone from her? It was the end of life as she knew it. Smart phones are incredibly useful but juvenile dependence on them is certainly a barrier to normal socialisation.

I believe that social skills as we know them are in danger.

I believe they will adapt to another social norm that may differ from the conventional method we have come to know and love.

Given this definition of social skills, I would have to agree.  It comes from the link listed.  It's a good article with additional links.

Social skills are the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance.

http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/social-skills.html