by Maya Quinn, managing editor

Born Ready University (BRU) held its second session this past Thursday at the Family Resource Center on Greensboro Street for expecting parents, grandparents, and caregivers of children ages zero to five. Sponsored by the Department of Early Childhood Education (DECE), these sessions will provide educational resources and parenting courses to ensure children develop in healthy environments and are prepared for school. This session centered on social and emotional health for caregivers and children.

Early childhood is a crucial time for children’s brains to develop the social skills needed in school and society. Without guidance from the adults around them, children may fail to thrive in their studies or social interactions. Children experience life for the very first time with each new encounter in their environment. They look to adults for the appropriate response to challenges and new emotions. Adults must respond logically and carefully when experiencing negative emotions and unwanted behaviors in children.

The evening featured a presentation from Licensed Master Social Worker and Alabama Department of Mental Health Eligibility Specialist Karmelia Brown on social-emotional development. Mrs. Brown has over twenty years of experience in social work, child welfare, and public health. During her presentation, she emphasized the power of mindfulness in parenting, especially during times of immense frustration. “Children feed off of emotions,” she explained during her talk. She equipped parents with techniques such as the “Parent Pause” (box breathing), in which a caretaker takes a series of slow breaths to recenter themselves and approach situations calmly. This technique can also help the child “recognize and name emotions ” and improve their own emotional literacy.

In the chaos of school, life, and other responsibilities, parents often forget to take care of their own mental health. Parents and caregivers voiced difficulty with finding balance in their busy lives to actually take care of themselves. This stress causes the brain to “lose access to higher thinking skills,” Brown warns, “causing us to become more reactive and yell.” To help parents decompress from these situations, she supplied attendees with a plethora of ideas, which ranged from taking a walk to taking themselves on a date.

Another element of emotional health for children lies in their need for encouragement. “They need someone to believe in them,” Brown stated, “Teaching them and not shaming them.” She then led a lesson on the difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline uses age-appropriate responses related to challenging behaviors, like having a toddler help clean up a small mess instead of the entire kitchen when they spill things. It relies on parents showing them the wanted behavior with many opportunities to try again, whereas punishment only works when fear is present instead of building a skill through practice. Brown explained that people cannot learn in fear, as it causes the brain centers responsible for learning to shut down. Using discipline builds children up, fosters self-control, and shows them why behavior matters.

The next BRU session is Thursday, April 9th, with the topic focusing on school readiness. For more information on BRU and its resources, please contact Cortnei Hood at (205) 372-6942