What is self-regulation and why is it important?
"Self-regulation is the ability to manage your emotions and behavior in accordance with the demands of the situation. It includes being able to resist highly emotional reactions to upsetting stimuli, to calm yourself down when you get upset, to adjust to a change in expectations, and to handle frustration without an outburst. It is a set of skills that enables children, as they mature, to direct their own behavior towards a goal, despite the unpredictability of the world and our own feelings."
--Child Mind Insititute
--Child Mind Insititute
Self-regulation skills are made up of emotion regulation (awareness and control of emotions), behavior regulation (awareness and control of actions that match the situation), and executive function (ability to organize and manage tasks; behavior inhibition; attention and focus). Children begin to develop self-regulation as babies and continue all the way into adulthood. These skills develop as children develop responsive relationships and by observing the adults around them. They can also be taught explicitly and learned through practice and coaching.
"As your child grows, self-regulation will help to:
- learn at school – because self-regulation gives your child the ability to sit and listen in the classroom
- behave in socially acceptable ways – because self-regulation gives your child the ability to control impulses
- make friends – because self-regulation gives your child the ability to take turns in games, share toys and express emotions in appropriate ways
- become more independent – because self-regulation gives your child the ability to make good decisions about her behaviour and learn how to behave in new situations with less guidance from you
- manage stress – because self-regulation helps your child learn that they can cope with strong feelings and gives them the ability to calm themself down after getting angry."
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