Tips on Social Emotional Learning: Social-Awareness

 

Today we wanted to share information on Social-Awareness, another one of the 8 critical areas of importance for well-being.  As noted in our earlier emails, studies show that developing and nurturing important skills in our children can help them become happy, productive, and successful adults as they appreciate how to think and act in stressful or challenging situations.

The purpose of these activities is to remind children that the skills we all use to build and maintain strong, healthy relationships are learned. We develop them by thinking about how we want others to receive us, and then by actively working to be open, caring, and supportive as we interact with others.

Here is some information about Social-Awareness and how to use the “Grow Your Empathy” strategy to promote active listening to appreciate each other and the world around us:  Social-Awareness Info & Tips

Keep In Mind:   You are a powerful model for the young people in your life. Hearing stories of times when we’ve been strong enough to forgive, as well as times when we’ve been humble enough to accept forgiveness, sends a strong message. When our children hear the thinking behind why we act the way we do, it’s easier for them to pause and think about their own actions. When they see us live our lives from a place of generosity and optimism, they can imagine themselves growing up to be the same kind of person.

Here are some creative ways to practice and encourage Social-Awareness in your home:

* Have your child invite an older, trusted person discuss these questions:  When was a time in your life when you’ve chosen to forgive someone? What do you think that was like for them? What was it like for you? Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?

* Practice these components of being a good listener with your child:

  1. Look the speaker in the eye
  2. Encourage the speaker with smiles, nods, and “uh-huhs”
  3. Pay attention to the facial expressions and body language as well as the words
  4. Remain interested in understanding the speaker

* Talk about the Golden Rule and role play different situations with your child.