Everyone seems to agree that "relationships matter." But what is it about relationships with young people that matter?
That is the question currently being studied at the Search Institute. What they are finding is that, in addition to the fact that the caring interaction of adults is central to young people's development, there are some other elements of relationships that further enable a child to thrive.
Search Institute has adopted the term
developmental relationships to describe relationships in a young person's life where a person does other things in addition to expressing care. That person can be a parent, teacher, or even a friend or peer.
The most transformational relationships for a child are those that:
Express CARE - "Show that you like me and want the best for me."
CHALLENGE Growth - "Insist that I try to continuously improve."
Provide SUPPORT - "Help me complete tasks and achieve goals."
Share POWER - "Hear my voice and
let me share in making decisions."
Expand POSSIBILITIES - "Expand my horizons and connect me to opportunities."
These
developmental relationships powerfully and positively shape a young person's identity and help the person develop a thriving mindset. A thriving mindset can be summarized as the orientation not just to get by in life, but to flourish - not just to survive, but to thrive.
Some other aspects of these relationships are that each person in the relationship is both contributing to and benefitting from the relationship. And, although a single relationship can be powerful, young people grow most when they experience multiple developmental relationships across multiple environments.
So, to bring this all into perspective for your family, we hope that the relationships your child is forming at Especially for Children can be some of his/her first
developmental relationships. We want to support and challenge your child. By working with your child in the classroom, with his peers and in all of our daily activities, we are striving to influence your child's educational performance and behavioral choices. We want to give your child the confidence to persevere in the face of difficulties and distractions. We want your child to develop a thriving mindset.
For more information about the Developmental Relationships Framework, go to:
http://www.search-institute.org/sites/default/files/a/Dev-Relationships-Framework.pdf
* Information for this article taken from Search Institute.
