Social-Emotional Development at Different Stages

Infancy. In infancy, emotions arise primarily from physical sensations, such as hunger, fatigue, and discomfort. Emotions and feelings can easily “flood” and overwhelm the young infant, who is not yet able to soothe herself. In her first few months, she relies almost entirely upon the responsive and nurturing care of her parent to calm her and bring her back to a state of comfort and ease. This can be an overwhelming time for parents as well, as they try to discover the best ways to respond to the needs and temperament of their young infant. Yet it is through the repeated interactions of the infant ‘s needs and parent ‘s response that the infant begins to develop a sense of trust in her caregivers and in her world. This is how she develops a sense of being loved, which enhances her self-confidence and her confidence in others.

Toddler years. As the infant grows and enters toddlerhood, emotions become more complex. The young child feels many emotions with intensity and is now expressing her independence. She expresses her feelings more openly, displaying strong ideas and her wish to make her own decisions. With this newfound independence, toddlers also have a drive for exploration. This is brought about in part by increased mobility. Wander too far, however, and the toddler may find herself seeking out her parent ‘s reassuring presence before starting out again on her next adventure. A key role for parents of children at this age is one of balance: It involves encouraging exploration and choice, while maintaining a presence that ensures the toddler a sense of safety and security.

As her social world expands, the toddler is also learning how to share, how to appropriately communicate her needs, and how to negotiate in her relationships. Tough work for a two-year-old! All of these tasks require a great deal from the young child who wants it all, yet is learning that the world is not always the way she wants it to be. The kind, reassuring presence of a trusted caregiver can help the young child express her needs and manage her frustration, which promotes self-control and self-confidence.

Preschool years. By the preschool years, children ‘s feelings, ideas, and expectations of others are more fully developed. Their increasing language skills provide them with a valuable tool for expressing their emotions, managing their feelings of disappointment and aggravation, and resolving conflicts when situations do not go their way. The preschooler is more able to display a wide range of emotions as well as convey empathy for others.

With support from her caregivers, she is able to anticipate how she may feel in various situations. She can use this skill to help her problem solve and develop solutions that promote a feeling of worth and confidence. Her social relationships are becoming more complex. She continues to benefit from the support of trusted adults who help her express herself, navigate conflicts, and enjoy her developing friendships.

References:

James Hymes’ Understanding Your Child by Kadija Johnston, LCSWLerner, C. & Dombro, A.L. (2000). Learning & Growing Together: Understanding Your Child’s Development. Washington, D.C.: ZERO TO THREE

Nelson, J., Erwin, C. & Duffy, R. (2007). Positive Discipline: The First Three Years. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

What is Social-Emotional Development?

How do children start to understand who they are, what they are feeling, what they expect to receive from others? These concepts are at the heart of their social-emotional wellness. They contribute to a child’s self-confidence and empathy, her ability to develop meaningful and lasting friendships and partnerships, and her sense of importance and value to those around her. Children’s social-emotional development influences all other areas of development: Cognitive, motor, and language development are all greatly affected by how a child feels about herself and how she is able to express ideas and emotions.

Professionals sometimes define healthy social-emotional development in young children as early childhood mental health. Healthy social-emotional development includes the ability to:

• Form and sustain positive relationships
• Experience, manage, and express emotions
• Explore and engage with the environment

Children with well-developed social-emotional skills are also more able to:

• Express their ideas and feelings
• Display empathy towards others
• Manage their feelings of frustration and disappointment more easily
• Feel self-confident
• More easily make and develop friendships
• Succeed in school

Social-emotional development provides the foundation for how we feel about ourselves and how we experience others. This foundation begins the day we are born and continues to develop throughout our lifespan.

The greatest influence on a child’s social-emotional development is the quality of the relationships that he develops with his primary caregivers.

Positive and nurturing early experiences and relationships have a significant impact on a child’s social-emotional development. They also influence how the young child’s brain develops. An attachment relationship is an enduring one that develops during the first few years of the child’s life. It is built upon repeated interactions between the infant and the primary caregiver. These interactions mainly involve attempts by the infant to achieve physical and emotional closeness and the caregiver’s responses to these attempts. They have a lasting influence on how the child feels about himself, how he thinks and interacts with his world, and what he comes to expect from others.

References:

James Hymes’ Understanding Your Child by Kadija Johnston, LCSWLerner, C. & Dombro, A.L. (2000). Learning & Growing Together: Understanding Your Child’s Development. Washington, D.C.: ZERO TO THREE

Nelson, J., Erwin, C. & Duffy, R. (2007). Positive Discipline: The First Three Years. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.