Remember the moment when your little one had a complete meltdown because their sandwich was cut into triangles instead of squares? Or when they struggled to share their favourite toy, even though you’ve reminded them about sharing a hundred times?
Parents are pretty good at teaching their kids to count to ten and recognise letters, among other things. But, as a parent, you need to help your children navigate emotions and tricky social situations. This is exactly where Social and Emotional Learning, or SEL, becomes a game-changer. If you’ve heard other parents or teachers mention it and thought, ‘Okay, but what does that actually mean for my child?’ You are in the right place. In this blog, we will discuss what SEL is and its benefits.
What is SEL?
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children (and adults) learn to understand and manage emotions, set goals, feel and show empathy, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions.
In simpler words, SEL teaches life skills that help kids (and adults) become well-rounded individuals who can thrive inside and outside the classroom.
Therefore, if your child is facing peer pressure or dealing with big emotions, SEL gives them the tools to handle these challenges with confidence and care. As parents, it’s important to understand what SEL is and how to use it to make your little one emotionally independent.
What are the Benefits of SEL
Here are the benefits of SEL:
- Better Academic Performance: Kids who participate in SEL programmes do better in school. Wondering how? We will cover that in the next part of the article.
- Improved Social Behaviour: SEL reduces emotional distress and helps manage negative behaviours.
- Stronger Interpersonal Relationships: Children become better at making friends and resolving conflicts.
In short, the benefits of SEL go far beyond the classroom. They equip kids for life.
The Five Core Competencies of SEL
Now that you know the benefits of SEL, let’s delve deeper into understanding SEL better. According to experts, SEL is built on five core pillars. These are essential skills that help children (and adults) navigate life.
- Self-Awareness
- Recognise their strengths and areas for growth
- Build self-confidence
- Develop a positive mindset
- Self-Management
- Handle stress effectively
- Set and work towards personal goals
- Make thoughtful choices instead of reacting emotionally
- Responsible Decision-Making
- Think before acting
- Weigh the consequences of their actions
- Solve problems in a thoughtful way
- Social Awareness
- Show empathy to others
- Appreciate diversity and different perspectives
- Act with kindness and fairness
- Relationship Skills
- Listen actively
- Cooperate with others
- Stand up for themselves respectfully
- Model Self-Awareness
- Encourage Emotional Expression
- Foster Decision-Making
- Let a toddler choose between two snacks
- Let a tween decide how to organise their homework
- Practice Positive Self-Talk
- Set and Celebrate Goals
- Celebrate Strengths and Accept Weaknesses
- Notice and praise their kindness, patience, or curiosity.
- Normalise making mistakes. Avoid harsh criticism.
- Choose SEL-Enriched Environments
This is all about helping children recognise their emotions, thoughts, and values, and how these influence their actions. When kids understand themselves better, they:
Quick Tip for Parents: Encourage your child to express how they feel. Ask questions like, “What made you feel happy today?” or “Why do you think you were upset?”
This teaches kids how to manage their emotions, control impulses, and stay motivated. With good self-management skills, children learn to:
Quick Tip for Parents: Teach your child simple calming techniques, like deep breathing or counting to ten when they’re upset.
Here, the focus is on making ethical, safe, and constructive choices. Kids learn to:
Quick Tip for Parents: Help your child brainstorm solutions to everyday challenges. For instance, if they forget their homework, ask, “What can you do differently next time?”
This is about understanding and respecting others. Children with strong social awareness can:
Quick Tip for Parents: You can read books or watch movies together that feature characters from different backgrounds. Talk about what your child learned from their stories.
This includes building healthy relationships, communicating clearly, and resolving conflicts peacefully. Kids learn to:
Quick Tip for Parents: Role-play common social scenarios, like how to greet a new classmate or how to ask for help.
How can Parents Encourage SEL in Children
Children learn best by example. Talk about your own emotions, thoughts, and choices openly. For instance: “I felt frustrated today at work, so I took a short walk to clear my head. It helped me calm down.” This shows kids it’s okay to have emotions and how to manage them.
Let your child talk about their feelings. Use phrases like:
“It sounds like you’re feeling disappointed. Want to talk about it?”
“I can see you’re proud of that drawing!”
Labelling emotions helps children make sense of their experiences—a core part of social-emotional learning and emotional intelligence in education.
Give kids opportunities to make individual choices. For example:
Making decisions builds confidence and develops responsible decision-making, which is a key SEL skill.
If your child says, “I can’t do this,” help them reframe it to, “It’s okay to find things hard. You’re still learning, and that’s how you get better.” This builds self-awareness and nurtures a growth mindset, which is central to teaching emotional intelligence.
Help kids set small, achievable goals:
“Let’s try reading one book this week.”
“Can you try tying your shoes all by yourself today?”
Reaching goals gives them a sense of accomplishment and teaches self-management and grit.
Help them explore who they are, not just what they can do:
A balanced self-view boosts confidence and resilience, helping them thrive in school and beyond.
Look for schools or programmes that emphasise social-emotional learning. A curriculum that integrates teaching emotional intelligence can help reinforce what you are doing at home.
Wrapping Up
At the heart of it, social-emotional learning isn’t just about helping kids do better in school. It’s about helping them become good human beings. And that’s something every parent can get behind.
By supporting SEL education at school and home, you are giving your child the emotional tools they need to grow into happy, compassionate, and confident adults.
So next time your child talks about their feelings or asks how to deal with a tricky friendship, remember—that’s SEL in action. And your support makes all the difference. Want to nurture your kid’s emotions? Check out our blog, Teaching Toddlers About Emotions: A Comprehensive Guide For Parents, for tips. For more information on your child’s learning and development, visit EuroKids Blogs. Don’t forget to visit EuroKids Preschools if you are looking for an SEL-enriched learning environment for your kid.
