What is Social-Emotional Development?

Social, emotional, and behavioral health begins at birth and lays a foundation for children to:

• Manage emotions
• Have positive relationships
• Resolve conflicts
• Peacefully take care of others

Children begin learning these skills from birth as they build attachments and trust with caregivers, learn how to calm themselves down, and later, to recognize emotions.

Just like other skills, children develop social and emotional abilities gradually—and they need plenty of support from adults as they learn.

Nurturing our children’s social and emotional needs from birth helps ensure they will have good mental health throughout their lives.

We all have mental health—even babies! And just as physical health enables us to have the energy we need to work and live our lives, mental health allows us to have positive relationships with others, cope with life’s challenges, and manage our emotions.

Just as we take care of our children’s physical health—with healthy food, plenty of sleep, and regular check-ups – we must also take care of their mental health by supporting their social-emotional development.

But How?

Loving relationships with you and other adults are the foundation of children’s healthy social-emotional development.

Positive relationships help children feel secure and encouraged. Through relationships, we can teach children to understand and express their feelings, develop compassion for other people, and learn the difference between right and wrong. These social and emotional skills prepare children for success in school and throughout their lives.

Try these tips to support your child's social-emotional development from birth to age 8:

• 0-8 months (Spanish)
• 9-18 months (Spanish)
• 19-36 months (Spanish)
• 3-5 years (Spanish)
• 5-8 years (Spanish)