Today's Accomplishments Were Yesterday's Impossibilities

The world can sometimes feel like a confusing, frustrating, and dynamic blur to children and teens. Research has continuously revealed that children of all ages are experiencing higher levels of conflict in school, with peers, and at home. This conflict elevates their levels of social and emotional stress, which can leave them feeling isolated, withdrawn, ostracized, impulsive, aggressive, or disruptive. 

How can we help children and teens thrive in our complex and challenging world, where the realities of social pressure, academic demands, bullying, and family stressors can affect how a child or teen perceives themselves and others, influencing their choices and options in life? 

Research has confirmed that all learning, throughout our lifespan, is social and emotional. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an essential component of the health and wellness of every child. SEL skills positively transform the lives of children of all ages by teaching them critical interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Mastering these essential, non-intuitive skills will provide children and teens with the core competencies necessary to experience success in all areas of their lives.

The children and teens that I work with learn and practice core SEL skills, including: how to identify the feelings and perspectives of others; empathy development; self-regulation; problem-solving strategies for any situation; focusing and attention; recognizing strong emotions and applying effective techniques for managing them; communicating their feelings in an appropriate way; initiating and participating in conversations; effectively dealing with fear; taking responsibility for their actions; understanding restorative justice; recognizing and mitigating peer pressure; identifying and avoiding gossip; understanding why lying and cheating are wrong; learning how to respond to putdowns, criticisms, and being left out; accurately interpreting facial clues and social cues; effectively dealing with frustration and accusations; understanding and accepting consequences; learning how to recognize and mitigate bullying; learning how to avoid fighting; and learning how to form positive relationships with others.