Every child's social-emotional abilities are crucial to his or her success. Here's how you can raise them at home
Many first-time pandemic parents are concerned: Are their children developing social and emotional skills? Because the world has been on lockdown for the better part of two years, many babies born in or after 2020 have missed out on regular playdates, birthday parties, music classes, and other opportunities for frequent socialization with their peers—times when they would normally be developing lifelong social skills. The good news is that there are strategies for parents to create and support social-emotional learning from the start.
So, what exactly is social-emotional learning?
"Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children develop the vital skills of empathy, communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and emotion regulation," explains Tia Kim, Ph.D., Committee for Children's vice president of education, research, and impact. "These life-long abilities equip children to form and sustain strong relationships, thrive academically, make responsible decisions, and work collaboratively in the job."
What is the significance of social-emotional learning for children?
While social-emotional skills may be developed and taught throughout a person's life, research has indicated that kindergarteners with higher SEL competency were more likely to graduate from high school, finish a college degree, and get stable work in young adulthood.
"We know that children's social-emotional development is crucial to their long-term success," Dr. Kim explains. "According to a 2017 study, SEL benefits children for months and even years, including a 13-point boost in academic achievement, positive attitudes, and social behaviors, as well as a decrease in the chance of behavioral issues, mental distress, or drug use."
How parents may instill SEL skills in their children from the start
Parents may and should start teaching their children basic versions of these core life skills at an early age. According to Dr. Kim, "research reveals that many of early children's social-emotional abilities are taught through their connections with their parents." Here are some specific ways that families may assist their child's social-emotional development throughout his or her childhood.
Utilize responsive care. The World Health Organization defines responsive caregiving as "the caregiver's ability to notice, understand, and respond to the child's signals in a timely and appropriate manner." The WHO considers responsive care to be "essential for ensuring children's health, nutrition, safety, and security," and recommends that all infants and children receive it during their first three years of life. (This implies that, contrary to common belief, you can't "spoil" a newborn by holding them "too much."
Dr. Kim describes responsive care as "matching caring to a newborn's needs," so the infant thinks they are loved and protected. "It may seem obvious to some, but this is why it's critical to be loving with newborns by caressing, hugging, consoling, rocking, singing, and talking to them, even when they're fussy," Dr. Kim adds.
Teach problem-solving skills from an early age. Parents may start teaching their children how to handle difficulties confidently when they are as young as 12-24 months old. Allow your child time to find out how to open a jar on their own if they are attempting to figure it out on their own. Praise the problem-solving process and their perseverance and determination. Dr. Kim provides an example: "Good thinking! You used a lot of ingenuity to open the jar's lid. To gain a stronger grip, a dish cloth might be useful. "Try this to open it."
Improve your ability to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner. Parents may educate their toddlers how to resolve disagreement in healthy, appropriate ways by helping them understand how their conduct affects others, using brief sentences and basic language. "I'm sure you want that toy. However, when we remove toys from others, they get unhappy. Let's take it in turns."
Validate their feelings. When a toddler has a tantrum, instead of immediately attempting to convince them to stop, name and support how they're experiencing. "When our children are distressed, we rush to remedy things and make the negative sensations go away because we want to protect them from any suffering." However, it is critical for children to learn how to cope with uncomfortable experiences that they may experience throughout their lives. According to Dr. Kim, "research has revealed that naming and validating uncomfortable feelings really helps children learn to deal with them."
"I see you're upset because you can't watch TV right now," a parent could say. It's time to go shopping. When you're done being angry, I'll help you put your shoes on." Naming feelings teaches children to identify and care for others when they are experiencing tough emotions.
Empathy should be modeled and practiced. Modeling empathy for your child goes hand in hand with validating feelings. When you see they are distressed, connect and sympathize with them before "correcting" their conduct. Inquire about their feelings. "Are you annoyed because your coat won't zip? It's normal to be frustrated. Do you want me to assist you when you feel better? " Frequent practice talking about feelings (their own and others') can go a long way toward building empathy—and their potential to establish good friendships later on."
When to be concerned about your child's social-emotional abilities, and where to look for support
Every child will progress at a different rate in terms of social and emotional development. However, in addition to regular contact with your child's physician, parents may use the CDC's Developmental Milestones checklist to determine whether their kid is having a developmental delay. (The CDC checklist was recently updated to include milestones that 75 percent of children are projected to reach by specific ages, rather than milestones that 50 percent of children are expected to reach by certain ages.) Dr. Kim points out that, while the milestones checklist is not a replacement for conventional developmental screening instruments, it may be a useful resource for detecting any difficulties early on.
If you are worried that your kid is not hitting developmental milestones, always consult with your child's physician first. "I believe it is critical for parents to remember to keep cool and understand that social-emotional skills may be learnt and taught throughout life," Dr. Kim adds. "Each kid is unique and will grow in various ways, so it's never too late to start cultivating these abilities in your child." Stay in touch with instructors and daycare providers throughout the process to guarantee the greatest possible outcome for your child.
#SocialEmotionalLearning #SocialEmotionalSkills #WHO #Parenting
SOURCE: lifehacker
What do you think of this blog? Write down at the COMMENT section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment