Social story teaching children to keep their hands to themselves for safety and respect.

This image displays a "Social Story" titled "Keeping My Hands to Myself." The purpose of this story is to teach individuals, often children or those with social communication challenges, the importance of not touching others without permission. It explains why keeping hands to oneself is important for safety and happiness, and it provides alternative, appropriate ways to express positive feelings, such as giving a high five, offering a thumbs up, smiling, or using kind words.

The story is structured into several panels:

- Main Title Panel: Introduces the topic with the title "KEEPING MY HANDS TO MYSELF" and an illustration of two hands held out in front of a person.
- Explanation Panel (Top Right): Explains that keeping hands to oneself prevents hurting or bothering others. It then suggests alternative ways to show affection or approval: a high five, a thumbs up, a big smile, or saying something nice like "You did a good job."
- Consequence Panel (Bottom Right): Illustrates that touching others can make them feel sad or upset, using icons of a crying face and a frowning emoji. It includes a large red "Stop" sign to emphasize that one must not touch others. It concludes by stating the goal: to want people to be happy and to spend time with you.
- Benefit Panel (Bottom Left): Shows that keeping hands to oneself will make family, friends, and teachers happy and safe. It features an illustration of a child surrounded by a group of people, symbolizing the community that benefits from this behavior.

In summary, the solution presented in the image is a behavioral guide that teaches self-regulation and social awareness by replacing inappropriate physical contact with positive verbal and non-verbal alternatives, thereby fostering a safe and happy environment for everyone involved.