1.2 From Emotions and Feelings to Socio-emotional Skills

The components of social-emotional competence do not evolve naturally.  The course of social-emotional development—whether healthy or unhealthy—depends on the quality of relationships that a child  has the possibility to experience. 

Actively promoting social-emotional competence requires, then, choices and activities that:

Adopt a perspective where both emotional and social are considered 

In the continuous interaction between individual and context it is mandatory to encourage and reinforce social skills such as greeting others, taking turns, cooperation and resolving conflicts. Devoting a specific space to emotions and behaviors, to knowledge and action level, to awareness and management skills, it means creating the bases for these levels to interact and allow children to experience more well-being and maintain satisfying relationships with others.

Care for the significant adults, both teachers and parents  

Creating an environment  where adult take care of their Social and Emotional Wellbeing and in which children feel safe to express their emotions with the contribution of teachers and family is essential for healthy social-emotional outcomes in young children.