Resources for Families

What Are Social-Emotional Skills?

Self-Awareness: "I know who I am."

The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values, and how they influence behavior in different situations. This includes identifying emotions, having an acute sense of self-perception, recognizing strengths, and building self-confidence and self-efficacy.

Social Awareness: "I care about others."

The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This includes feeling compassion for others, understanding and expressing gratitude, identifying diverse social norms (including unjust ones), and taking others' perspectives.

Relationship Skills: "I am a good friend."

The abilities to manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations -- effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. This includes self-discipline, self-motivation, goal setting, and organizational skills.


Self-Management: "I take care of myself."

The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships, and to effectively interact with diverse individuals and groups. Skills include communicating clearly, resolving conflicts constructively, resisting negative social pressure, showing leadership in groups, and standing up for the rights of others.

Responsible Decision-Making: "I am a problem solver."

Having the abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness, learning to make judgments based on information, data, and facts, and assessing the consequences of one's actions.

Building Life Skills 

Our mission is to ensure that children (and adults!) have the social and emotional skills to be successful, productive and happy.  Here are developmentally appropriate life skill building resources for parents, families, and caregivers to use at home. These lesson ideas facilitate the development of social-emotional life skills in children, from infancy through high school.  Click on the pictures below for more information. (Courtesy: Aperture Education)

Using Positive Behavior Supports

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a useful framework to build children's behavioral skills and reduce challenging behaviors. PBIS can effectively be used at home too and is especially helpful when events disrupt normal routines (e.g., worldwide health pandemics, natural disasters, extended school breaks). 

Three helpful strategies: