The Beginning is Important Work
Emotional and social development is a critical part of children’s early development. Socio-emotional development refers to the ability to comprehend and deal with one’s own emotions and behaviors and to establish positive and caring relationships with others. Supporting these abilities plays a great role in children’s learning and academic success. Well-structured and predictable environments tend to support kids’ self-regulatory abilities. During the first 2 years of life socio-emotional development can be supported by instantly responding to the infant’s needs. Talk and babble to the baby. Establishing eye contact, playing peek-a-boo and involving babies in daily activities also support emotional development in kids. Being affectionate verbally as well as physically, setting playdates, cooperative play and encouraging sharing of toys and taking turns are some of the ways that promote emotional development in preschoolers. By modeling or demonstrating positive relationships and emotions, connecting with the kid, we can help them connect to the people around them in the same way. By providing opportunities to engage with other kids and adults provide them with a chance to learn social skills. Often children who are not exposed to this environment find it hard to manage their emotions thus resulting in behavioral issues. Dealing with tantrums or behavioral issues is quite a challenging task for parents. Harsh or negative emotional responses to difficult behavior tend to intensify a child’s aggression. By remaining calm gives the child a sense of what is expected from him. Ignore minor behavioral issues and praise good behaviors. Talk to the child about behavior when he gets calm. Find out the triggers that give rise to such behaviors and try to avoid them. Tell your kids about the consequences of their good and bad behavior. Teach the child some problem-solving skills.
In a nutshell, a kid’s socio-emotional development is an intricate issue that is continually evolving. The partnerships with Parents and Early Educators at Little Spanish Garden (LSG) can create a huge influence on how it progresses.
Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks
