Social & Emotional

 

Social and Emotional Competence of Children by Renata Henderson

“Little people feel big emotions.” A powerful message delivered in five simple words. Adults may sometimes think that children do not have the capacity to feel real emotions and feelings. However, families can help ensure that children learn how to regulate those emotions. Additionally, forming relationships, exploring.

The role of the family is to understand how children feel and process through it with them—a technique described as “Name, Claim and Tame.” Name the emotion. Claim that this emotion is what the child is feeling and explain what that means. Tame it by giving alternatives to emotions that lead to unmatched behaviors. “I see you feel angry. I think you wanted to play longer during playtime. How about instead of stomping, you say ‘Can we come back outside later?’ Now you try it!” This is an example of how families can empower children to grow socially and emotionally and build into their future as healthy and loving adults.

Family Activity

Play builds strong families! When you smile and giggle during a fun game, your body releases a “feel good” hormone called Oxytocin, which promotes family bonding and eases stress. “Emotional Animals” is a fun and silly game which teaches about emotions. All you need is two square blocks or boxes to use as dice and a way to put words on the blocks-permanent marker, paper, tape, etc. Write a different emotion word on each side of one block, such as happy, scared, silly, angry. Write a type of animal on each side of the other block, such as bird, dog, cat, monkey. Family members take turns rolling both dice and acting out the two words that land face up. For example, if “silly” and “cat” land face up, the family member will demonstrate how they think a “silly cat” would act! To extend the learning, families can talk about what might have made the cat feel silly, and healthy ways the cat can express silliness.