Improving Your Child’s Self-awareness Skills

“How are you feeling today?”

“What is one thing that made you happy at school today?”

“What are your strengths and areas you still need to work on?”

We often pose these questions to our children, encouraging them to reflect and engage in self-discovery. At the heart of these questions lies the essence of selfawareness—a vital pillar of personal growth and emotional intelligence. Last week, Ms. Tania laid the groundwork for understanding Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) and it’s importance. This week, we are delving deeper into the first competency of SEL: selfawareness. Through this exploration, we aim to empower our children with the tools to comprehend their emotions, recognize their strengths, and identify areas that require development, ultimately fostering a more profound understanding of oneself and others.

What is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is the ability to understand one's thoughts, feelings, emotions, and values as well as how these elements impact our behavior and choices. It also involves evaluating one's strengths and weaknesses with confidence, motivation, and the aspiration for personal development. For our children to manage their behavior well, cooperate with their friends, and navigate life's challenges and obstacles, they need to understand their own feelings and actions first. This is where self-awareness takes place.

For example, a self-aware student might observe her anxiety before an upcoming test. She could sense her heart rate accelerating and her stomach tightening, causing her mind to race, thinking about not doing well. To avoid taking the test, she contemplates feigning sickness to her teacher, but in the end, she acknowledges that this response results from how she's feeling about the test. She then concedes that such reactions happen when she is experiencing anxiety.

How do we practice self-awareness at home?

Encouraging our children to practice self-awareness at home can be an incredible gift for their personal development and emotional well-being. By helping them understand their thoughts, feelings, and actions, we empower them to navigate life's challenges with confidence and empathy. Through age-appropriate activities and conversations, we can instill a strong sense of identity, resilience, and emotional intelligence in them. Here are some activities to foster self-awareness in children that you can do at home.

1) Writing in a journal

Encouraging them to maintain a journal jotting down their thoughts and reflections, can help them develop a deeper understanding of their emotions and experiences. Here are some journal prompts you can use: How are you feeling today? What are your biggest strengths? What is one thing you want to learn more about? Why?

2) Make a gratitude list!

Creating a gratitude list together can cultivate a sense of appreciation and mindfulness, fostering a positive outlook.

3) Do an emotion check-in

Using an emotions checklist or chart to identify and discuss different feelings can enhance their emotional intelligence.

For more details and a comprehensive list of the activities, you can visit the website below: https://www.thepathway2success.com/10-self-awareness-activities-for-kids/

Recognizing and practicing self-awareness is pivotal in personal growth and development. Instilling self-awareness in our children lays the foundation for their emotional intelligence and overall well-being. Nurturing this skill equips them to understand and manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively, fostering resilience and empathy. Self-awareness is the gateway to a broader spectrum of skills that form the foundation of emotional intelligence. However, our journey continues. Stay tuned for our upcoming discussion on self-management, where we will delve into strategies and practices that enable us to regulate our emotions and behaviors effectively, fostering greater control and balance in our lives.

Written by: Ms. Pom (Learning Support Teacher - pomposa.canlas@sph.ac.id)