Connecting the World- In Touch with Feelings

• Blog By
  Ms. Vidhya Devi
  Secondary Staff – Cambridge International (Social Science, Global Perspectives , Economics for AS & A)
  The Indian Public School – Salem.
  March, 02 2022 | In Blog
• 

What do you remember about your school days?

Most of us recollect friendships and fights far more than education and results. But Childhood nowadays is undeniably faster and more socially and emotionally demanding. Children are “make – or – break” and at the same time, they are “too- much – too- fast – too- soon” in the complex real world. Childhood must be cherished, instead, it is being ruined now, as toddlers are pressured to grow too early. Children at the primary level are already concerned about their appearance, looks, and clothes. This pressure will have an impact on their confidence and self–esteem. Children start their schooling with different expectations, hope, and even fears. Some are socially competent, eager to learn, and bursting with confidence. Psychological studies state that “when children’s thoughts are dominated by worries, they can be completely out of mind in the classroom.”

Children with high social and emotional skills are happy, successful, and can handle the ups and downs of life. On the contrary, children lacking social and emotional intelligence faces difficulty in building relationships.

Being a child today

Childhood must be cherished by exploring nature, the neighbourhood, and socialize with the community. Rather than that, today in the world of Computers and artificial intelligence technology, children are exposed to realistic video games and social networking. Previously we were lucky if we had a telephone in our home and we were happy if mom and dad let us make a call after we go home. But now, it is common to see toddlers as young as 15 months enjoying themselves with their parents’ smartphones and other electronic gadgets. Even though social media restricts the users with age limits, parents allow their children to use it at a very young age. Too much information at a very early age can confuse children and make them mentally unstable. This can also lead them to stress-related health issues like headaches, nervousness and hyperactivity, eating, and sleeping disorders.

A Demon

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotions… – Dale Carnegie.”

The word “stress” was not an important or common one a decade before. But now, it has become a threat to the human community. Children are being exposed to internet sites rather than peers. As a reference point, it results in a lack of trust in the real world. People need people. The ability to build a strong relationship is a priceless life skill, for children need to enjoy schooling. The world of children today is sandwiched with fast-moving, information-packed, anxiety-driven, and technologically enhanced. Children need time to be children. Outdoor activities help children to refresh, acquire and polish their social skills like abiding by the rules, decision making, problem-solving, and how to enter a group and share their responsibilities. And every parent and teacher should ensure that their tiny tots’ Childhood must be cherished by creating a stress-free environment in both school and at home.

Social Skills

A child needs the following social skills in order to construct a positive and strong relationship, and develop emotional intelligence which can be useful forever. Childhood must be cherished by overseeing the following skills from the earlier stages.

• Empathy
• Emotional Intelligence
• Communication
• Manners
• Physical Well-being
• Sense of humour
• Proper Sleep clock
• Diet
• Personal Hygiene

In order to overcome the barrier and develop social and emotional bonds among the children, teachers and parents must strive to protect them from sensationalized media, images, and issues that make them unable to process. Teachers give children authentic experiences by developing their teamwork and interpersonal skills. Both teachers and parents must acknowledge the positive side of technology that connects the real world and mould them to be better human beings in the future.