Conclusion

When children’s social-emotional needs are met, and they feel safe and connected, their inherent pro-sociality takes the lead, and they much more readily cooperate and participate. Their sense of connection also helps with their ability to regulate their own emotions in the moment.

Conversely, unmet social-emotional needs or other triggers can quickly cause a child’s behavior to become more difficult.

Having an understanding of the social-emotional needs of children leads to thinking about the meaning of a childs behavior in a much deeper way. Using this understanding to frame a child’s difficult behavior as the child’s language of distress can lead to greater insights about what the child is feeling and needing and what help they might need from their parents.