Children effectively develop in an environment where they can actively participate in an energetic play in outdoor areas and have meaningful interactions. However, to properly affect a child’s healthy growth and well-being, playgrounds need to offer manageable risks and challenges. Educators must always ensure that environment is safe, but it is also essential to grant children unique possibilities for a moderate level of risk-taking (Ministry of Education, 2014). The setting, including physical accommodations, should be created to allow children to engage in various physical activities or games that will also challenge them in significant ways.
The environment that ensures active outdoor play leads to both physical and mental benefits. Thus, activities with moderate levels of risk evolve independence, self-control, emotional, and intellectual capacities (Ministry of Education, 2014). However, it is essential to remember that risks always have to be accurately calculated, as safety should always be a priority for educators. Thus, promoting children’s attempts to take conscious risks enables them to test the limits of their personal capabilities, become more competent, and gain a feeling of sovereignty. All of the above can be accomplished through an environment that includes active play and social interactions.
The capacity to self-regulate is a crucial element of children’s development and well-being. More and more researchers have recognized this skill as primary to children’s “long-term physical, psychological, behavioral, and educational well-being” (Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 30). However, it is vital to understand the difference between self-regulation and self-control. The former is about children’s ability to overcome different stressful situations or impulses and then quickly return to the calm state. Thus, children should be concentrated and pay attention, as it enables them to temper their emotions, focus on tasks, be more resistant to distractions, and be more sensitive about feelings of others (Ministry of Education, 2014). I can reassure self-regulation by reducing various stressors while identifying and encouraging children’s attempts to deal with them independently. Therefore, I will be slowly developing children’s capacity to self-regulate.
Educators should recognize the importance of self-regulation; however, they also should navigate children to avoid overstressing. Therefore, I should slowly guide children’s self-regulating skills by cautiously noticing their cues and ways to deal with different stressors. This is especially useful, as it helps educators to teach children staying patient and concentrated. Overall, helping them recognize and find ways to deal with emotional stress makes them more aware of the ways they influence individuals around them.
Children’s mental and physical health must be viewed in connection with various environmental factors. Study shows that children are at the highest risk when the caretakers are constantly enduring adversities (Ministry of Education, 2014). Thus, some more stressful family situations or life in communities with insufficient support can be especially difficult for children. Children that spend a number of years in similar environments become more vulnerable. Often this environment is connected to a lack of supportive and caring relationships with parents or other relatives. This situation is likely to lead to adverse psychological and physical outcomes, which can also be long-term.
However, educators can influence the positive transformation of the given circumstances. For instance, various advanced programs can improve situation of vulnerable children experiencing adverse levels of stress within their environment. Such programs can create “responsive, nurturing, and stable relationships with children as well as with their families” (Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 31). Educators should not ignore the situation, as it might only contribute to the problem. Thus, prevention and intervention are considered the most efficient, especially when other strategies are in place. This approach helps to establish reliable connections with children and influence the creation of various useful skills. Educators should help adults incapable of providing appropriate care or attention due to their unfortunate circumstances. Moreover, being attentive to children and helping them develop healthy ways of dealing with stressful situations, encourage self-regulation, and decision-making. Overall, educators, caregivers, and communities should work together to lessen vulnerability of every person involved.
As a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), I understand the importance of the appropriate actions taken by me in the situation of a child’s stress that negatively affects their well-being. RECE can be significant in the lives of vulnerable families, as they can maintain and promote outstanding mental health for both children and adults. Educations can use various channels to ensure the positive development of such situations, including the necessity to connect with community leaders capable of giving essential information and assistance (Ministry of Education, 2014). Moreover, RECE can serve as a bridge between families in need and formal support, including various governmental organizations or community agencies. Besides reaching out to the official channels, educators can ensure the cooperation between them and informal groups, which may consist of other families willing to help or other forms of support networks (Ministry of Education, 2014). Overall, educators should always notice the child with a possibly stressful environment, evaluate the potential dangers to mental and physical health, and ensure safe and productive cooperation. Integrating these children into day-to-day activities and connecting them with community partners can help substantially help their psychological well-being.
Reference
Ministry of Education. (2014). How does learning happen? Web.