Fostering Social Emotional Literacy in Young Children
The more our Early Intervention and Educational systems intersect with Neuroscience the more we learn how critically important social and emotional development is for our youngest children. This means it is just as important that as educator’s we recognize that supporting parents in understanding what this component of development looks like for young children as they are growing. Parents and caregivers who are already eligible and receiving services for their child through early intervention services often enroll in our programs with both complex needs and stress.
Our goal as Local System Managers, Service Coordinator’s and early interventionists is to support and educate the family throughout their journey to prepare them for the next educational setting. Many times, specialty services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and Speech-Language therapy are very specific and concrete services for the child, this can sometimes be more straightforward and easier to follow during the time between visits, but what about the Behavioral guidance? Children with complex needs are often extremely busy with the scheduled visits and extremely exhausted. This activity can lead children to become tired, frustrated, confused, and unwilling to collaborate with parents. Although this is totally understandable from the practitioner’s viewpoint this can be another area for strengthening growth for our children and families.
Supporting parents through the navigation of difficult emotions with a child highlights the importance of Emotional Literacy of their child allowing their child to grow through the cycle of “rupture and repair”, this allows children to learn that they can express strong emotions such as sadness, anger, fear while dysregulated and follow through with coaching from the parent/caregiver to regulation. These are the cycles that allow our children overtime to build skills in resiliency and regulation.
Below are additional resources on Emotional Literacy:
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/the-brain-architects-podcast-serve-and-return-supporting-the-foundation/
https://www.janetlansbury.com/2012/12/no-angry-kids-fostering-emotional-literacy-in-our-children/
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