January/February 2025 HAWAII PARENT 123 Vorderbruegge, Elementary Principal at Hawaii Baptist Academy. Activities can be consistently incorporated into daily or weekly routines to encourage positive social and emotional growth in key skill areas. Understand Inwardly Pride, jealousy, affection, and shame are emotions that children begin to identify starting as early as twelve months old. Teach and talk to your child about their feelings, acknowledging them – “I see you’re angry” – which will begin to ignite self-identification of emotions and eventually self-regulation with continued guidance. “Share new experiences with your child and model what it looks like to take healthy risks,” says Principal Vorderbruegge. “Articulate the feelings these opportunities invoke. ‘I’m a bit nervous today about going to the new playground, but I can’t wait to see if there is a big slide.’” Reading is another fun activity that not only promotes social and emotional skills but also literacy. Principal Vorderbruegge suggests, “Read stories that include characters who model good social emotional development and spend time in conversation about how the character responded to events in the story.”
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