Relationships and School Readiness

Infants come into this world primed for social interaction and relationships. They prefer to look at faces, can recognize the sound of their mothers’ voice, and cry, reach, cling in order to stay close to loved ones. Relationships are the way babies come to know the world and their place in it. It is through relationships that young children develop social emotional competence which includes the ability to form satisfying relationships with others, play, communicate, learn, face challenges, and experience emotions. Children with secure relationships develop the social-emotional skills that are critical for school success: Self-control and the ability to regulate emotions, self-confidence, problem-solving, and effective communication.