Social health reflects a child’s developing ability to form close, secure relationships with other familiar people in their lives such as parents, relatives and other nurturing caregivers.

1- The importance of Social and Emotional health

Children’s social and emotional health is simply as essential as their physical health, and influences their ability to develop and potential to guide a fulfilling life.

2- The type of children

a) children who are mentally healthy

have a tendency to be happier, show more motivation to learn, have a more positive attitude toward school, more eagerly participate in class activities, and show higher academic performance.

b) Children who show off social and emotional difficulties

generally tend to have trouble following instructions and taking part in learning activities.

3- Set up trusting relationships

A trusting and caring teacher–child relationship is important for children’s optimum improvement. Children who have trusting relationships with their instructors are, on common, more willing to ask questions, solve problems, strive new responsibilities, and express their thinking than their friends without such relationships.

4- Showing warmth and affection consistently

They make a contribution to developing secure relationships among children and adults, provide models of gentle behavior, and are connected with children’s potential to engage positively with friends.

5- Respecting and caring about every child

Showing respect is a key manner to hook up with children and enhance positive relationships. It enables children feel more confident and capable to explore and learn.

How can you do that?

a) Listening with full attention and restating what children say.
b) Accepting and reflecting children’s emotions.
c) Spending private, quality time with individual children via one-on-one activities.

Teachers can intentionally teach and enhance these competencies using evidence-based strategies to teach, model, and improve positive behaviors.
As evidenced in the preschool classrooms we discovered, teachers who prioritize developing children’s social and emotional health are richly rewarded with happy, engaged children who learn to avoid and resolve conflicts, share and take turns, and express their feelings in efficient approaches.

You can read more about this topic, HERE and you can even explore classes about it HERE.