Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process children go through in learning about who they are and how to navigate their environment including managing their emotions, relationships, and interactions. These skills are important to a child’s development and mental health, becoming their guide for building self-confidence and positive relationships with others. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is dedicated to providing our community with tools and resources to enhance youth development.

There are five core competencies of social-emotional learning that include:

Self-Awareness – understanding your emotions and thoughts and how they influence your behavior.
Skills include identifying emotions, self-perception, recognizing strengths, self-confidence, and self-efficacy.

*Self-efficacy is the belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations or the accomplishment of a task. 

Self-Management – the ability to regulate your emotions and behaviors in different situations and to set and work toward goals.
Skills include executive function and self-regulation, stress management, and self-discipline.

*Executive function and self-regulation are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Our brains need this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses. 

Social Awareness – The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others.
Skills include empathy, appreciating differences, and respect.

Relationship Skills – The ability to establish and maintain healthy and meaningful relationships with others.
Skills include: communicating clearly, listening, cooperating, resisting negative pressure, resolving conflicts, and supporting one another.

Responsible Decision-Making – The ability to make positive choices and take responsibility for positive and negative outcomes.
Skills include: identifying problems, analyzing situations, solving problems, and reflection.

Mentors can encourage a positive self-concept and weave opportunities for developing, practicing, and applying social and emotional skills into outings and conversations. Doing so will have a positive influence on a kid’s confidence, learning, and relationships.

Being a Big, or mentor, to a child in our community is an opportunity to help build a child’s social-emotional learning with one-to-one support from an adult. Become a Big and be that supportive adult for a child in our community. Attend a Big Orientation & Training session to get started and learn how you can empower a child’s social-emotional learning.

 

Additional resources on the impact of SEL on youth development and how to implement it:

The Benefits of Utilizing SEL Methodology

Why Social Emotional Learning is Suddenly in the Spotlight

SEL Activity Examples

 

We have learned that positive and negative experiences during childhood can shape and reshape the brain. Research suggests more exposure to chronic stress creates more neuron connections in the brain that lead to fear, anxiety, and poor impulse control, and fewer neural pathways are made in brain regions that impact reasoning, planning, and behavior control. The good news is a supportive adult can be an essential factor in building new neural pathways to prevent or reverse the effects of childhood trauma. Here are five everyday gestures cited in Changing Minds Now that act as protective factors against trauma:  

1. Celebrate – compliment and applaud a child’s efforts. When we celebrate a child’s achievements and challenges (big and small), we support the development of their self-identity and remind them of their value, competence, and lovability.  

2. Comfort – be patient and stay calm with children. To comfort is a gesture of making one feel safe and secure. Show compassion, provide reassurance, and demonstrate a commitment to consistently being there for a child without judgment. 

3. Listen – show interest in a child’s passions. If you actively listen to kids, you can help them feel safe and valued. Listening attentively shows you care and that their thoughts matter. Whether children share happiness, sadness, anger, or fear, having someone listen to them without judgment is critical. Help children identify their feelings, connect words to experiences, and learn healthy strategies to problem solve and cope. 

4. Collaborate – ask children their opinion. You can help teach collaboration and problem solving by modeling those behaviors, helping children build trust. Encourage kids to express their views and ask for help when needed. 

5. Inspire – explore new ideas. You can help inspire and build resiliency by identifying a child’s strengths and natural talents and exposing them to new opportunities. 

Watch “Changing Minds: Science of Childhood Trauma” for more information on the science of trauma to a child’s brain and the five healing gestures.

Want to be a supportive adult for a child in our community? Become a volunteer mentor and empower a child to reach their fullest potential with just a few hours each month. Attend a Virtual Big Orientation & Training to get started and learn about Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs.

 

Do you need some ideas for things to talk to your Little about? Check out our Conversation Starters & Activities to help you and your Little learn about new topics and discover new hobbies and interests.

Do you want to learn what it takes to become a mentor and be a consistent friend for a kid in our community? Learn more at our Big Orientation & Training info session. View the schedule.

Conversation Starters

If you haven’t done so already, talk your Little about their goals for the school year, academic, behavioral, and social.

The first quarter ends at the end of October. Ask your Little how they feel like they are doing in school so far. What could they do to bring grades up next quarter?

October 1 is World Smile Day: What makes you smile? Draw a picture of something that makes you smile. What do you to do make others smile?

October 8 is World Egg Day: Do you like eggs? How do you like to eat them? They are healthy and full of protein. How many animals can you think of that lay eggs?

October 14 is National Dessert Day: What is your favorite dessert? Ice cream, pie, cake, cookies?  Do you know someone who loves to bake? Do you like to help? What is your favorite thing to bake? Design a cake or a new, crazy flavor of ice cream.

October 17 is National Pasta Day: Spaghetti, Fettuccini, Ravioli, Macaroni. Do you like pasta? What is your favorite? Learn the history of pasta and teach your Little about it.

October 25 is International Artist Day: What kind of art do you like to do? Drawing, painting, making jewelry, music, poetry? Who inspires you to make art? Who do you know that makes art? Do you have a favorite artist? Show your Little your art and ask them to share their art with you!

October 31 is Halloween: Is your Little participating? If so, how? Dressing up? Trick or Treating? Remind your Littles about Halloween safety, such as staying with a group or adult, checking candy before eating, food allergies, safety while carving pumpkins, etc.

• Talk about your favorite candy! Invent your own candy bars. Draw a picture of the wrapper design.
• This is a spooky time of year with scary images and movies etc. What are some things that scare you? Spiders, snakes, ghosts, heights, the dark?  Ask your Little if they are afraid of anything. Share your fear with your Little

 

Activities

Backpack Organization: Assist your Little in getting organized. Have your mentee bring their backpack on your next outing and map out a homework/study/reading schedule.

Pumpkin Carving: Take your Little to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin so that you can both carve, paint, or decorate it in a new creative way together.

The Simple Things: Notice and savor the small stuff!  You can help your Little become aware of daily good by pausing to notice and “take in” the beauty of a sunset, appreciating a stranger holding the door open for you and your Little, stopping to admire a vibrant tree in the park, listening to birds sing, etc.

Send & Receive Postcards: Postcrossing is a project that allows you to send and receive postcards from people around the world. These are real postcards, not electronic!  Individuals from over 212 different countries are represented.

Zip-Lock Bag Water Refraction Halloween Activity: The Zip Lock Bag Water Refraction is a simple and easy but amazing experiment. You can make the picture disappear by just putting the zip lock bag into the water. The required material can be found in every home.

Homemade Caramel Apples: Make homemade caramel apples with your Little…fun to make but even better to eat!

Gratitude Journal: Listing out a few things we are grateful for each day can have a positive impact on our mood, attitude, and relationships, so start a “Gratitude Journal” with your Little for 30 days. Each day, list three to five things you are grateful for. Share with each other when you get together or periodically ask your Little, “How do you feel after you’ve written what you are grateful for?” Another idea is to simply integrate a “Gratitude Practice” by sharing things you are grateful for, either at the beginning or end of each outing, to create a ritual and opportunity to recognize, practice, and strengthen your gratitude muscle.

Make a Bird Feeder: Research birds in our area and what they eat; make a bird feeder and fill it up!

 

Free & Low-Cost Community Events

Virtual Cooking Classes: Christopher Kimball’s MILK Street (from PBS) is offering a series of free hour-long virtual cooking classes for you and your Little! Please email cookingschool@177MILKSTREET.com for more details

Fall 2021 Schedule:

• October 16th: Pasta Perfect
• November 21st: Vegetables That Taste Great
• December 12th: The World’s Best Banana Bread (and Brownies)

October 1-3 – Hillsborough County Fair: 215 Sydney Washer Rd, Dover, FL 33527. Welcome to the Hillsborough Coun-ty Fair! Our annual county fair is held every fall. It is a celebration of community, agriculture, education, and exhibits! Livestock, rides, delicious food, live music, rodeo, derby, and lots more!

October 7 – Music on the Beach: Sunset Beach Concert Series: 1411 Gulf Road, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689. Join us for a great new Sunset Beach Concert Series. Concerts are once a month on Thursdays, February through November. You can park at the High School, catch the complimentary shuttle to the beach, enjoy the music and take the shuttle back. Concessions are available for purchase, or you can bring your own. Remember, pets and alcohol are not allowed, but your own food, drink, and chairs are. The music starts at 7 pm. Concerts are subject to change or cancellation due to weather.

October 16 – Multicultural Family Day: 1710 N. Highland Ave, Tampa, FL 33602. A free event for the entire family with live multicultural entertainment, food trucks, vendors, and much more!

October 16 – St. Petersburg Science Festival: Poynter Park, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. St. Petersburg Science Festival is a FREE community celebration of the wonders of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). The 2021 public festival will be held on October 16 from 10 am-4 pm, at the waterfront campus of the USF St. Petersburg and Poynter Park along Bayboro Harbor. The event is held in conjunction with MarineQuest, the annual open house of the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

October 16-31 – Riverwalk Halloween Hunt: The Tampa Riverwalk, Tampa, FL 33602. The Riverwalk Halloween Hunt is a family-friendly not-too-spooky virtual scavenger hunt along the Tampa Riverwalk. Individuals and teams will compete to be the first place Winner! Solve riddles, puzzles, and tasks while exploring the beautiful Riverwalk in this safe, outdoor Halloween activity fun for all ages. This event is free to the public. You must download the mobile app Mobile Adventures to participate (iOS & Android). Once the app has been downloaded, you will need to scan the QR code provided at the event to get started.

October 23-24 – Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks Arts & Craft Festival: Sponge Docks, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689. Arts & Crafts Festival in Historic Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. More than 90 of the nation’s top artists and crafters with Made in the USA creations. From jewelry to ceramics to plants to photography to paintings and homemade soap, something to please everyone.

October 26 – Owl-O-Ween: McGough Nature Park-11901 146th St, Largo, FL 33774. Stroll along the spooky, haunted trails at McGough Nature Park in search of bats, owls, ghosts, and goblins. Join us for crafts, games, and scary stories by the campfire. Preregistration and prepayment are required. Call 727-518-3047 to reserve your spot.

by J.S. Cooper, BBBS Marketing Intern

---

October is Children’s Health Month, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay believes it takes everyone working together to keep youth healthy and active. Since good health practices are most likely to succeed when they begin during childhood, taking the steps towards a healthy childhood is important. Children’s Health Month reminds us of the importance of protecting our children’s health from environmental hazards in places where they live, play, and learn.

Ways to Improve Your Child’s Health

1. Nature Is Your Friend

Many researchers agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, better at paying attention, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. Spending time in nature can build their confidence. There’s a lot less structure than most types of indoor play, and they can choose how they interact with the nature around them. This gives them practice managing their own actions and encourages creativity and imagination.

2. Eat Healthy

Children need the same nutrients as adults — such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Children, however, need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruits — rather than fruit juice. Serve a variety of fresh, canned, frozen, or dried vegetables. Aim to provide a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange, beans, peas, starchy, and others. Fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients needed for growth and good health.

3. Instill Oral Health Habits

Taking good care of your child’s teeth helps freshen breath, improve gum health, and helps build strong and healthy teeth. Prompt your child to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. If your child is younger than 6, watch them brush. Make sure they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow. Help your child brush until they have good brushing skills. Ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.

4. Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

Although fewer children have been infected with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, get sick from COVID-19, and spread COVID-19 to others. CDC recommends everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. People who are not fully vaccinated and children under 12 years who cannot get a COVID-19 vaccine should continue taking steps to prevent getting sick. To maximize protection from COVID-19 and prevent possibly spreading it to others, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should wear a mask indoors and in crowded areas like restaurants and movie theaters.

5. Build Trusting Relationships with Kids

A caring adult’s presence is related to numerous positive outcomes for young people, including greater resilience and lower stress. The caring and consistent relationship you build with a child is a vital protective factor that will help them develop self-esteem throughout life. You can be a positive, supportive mentor for a kid in our community by becoming a Big. With only a few hours each month, you can make a difference by being a consistent friend and trusting adult. Learn how at one of our Big Orientation & Training info sessions. View our schedule get started!

Additional Resources

Center of Disease Control and Prevention: Promoting Health for Children and Adolescents

Children’s Home Network
Children’s Home Network is a leader in innovative programs and services in Tampa Bay in the field of child and family well-being and as an exemplary model for the governance, management, and operation of non-profit entities. Unlocking the potential of at-risk children and families by providing compassionate and effective services that create opportunities for success.

Search Institute introduces the Five Elements of the Developmental Relationships Framework based on decades of research. 

These elements are critical to forming and strengthening positive relationships that young people need to grow and thrive. 

“Pretty much everyone who works with kids and interacts with them knows that relationships matter, incredibly, for how they develop, for how they perform in school, for where they end up in the future. But that doesn’t mean you know how to build a relationship with a young person that you work with or that you just care about,” says Dr. Kent Pekel, Former president and CEO of Search Institute

The five elements that adults can take to create lasting developmental relationships include: 

1. Express Care: let kids know that they matter to you. 

2. Challenge Growth: pushing kids to continually get better no matter how well they are already doing.

3. Provide Support: helping kids complete tasks and reach their goals.

4. Share Power: treating kids with respect and giving them a say.

5. Expand Possibilities: connecting kids with people and places that broaden their worlds.

When kids experience relationships characterized by these five elements, they are more likely to possess critical social-emotional skills like motivation, a sense of belonging, empathy, and much less likely to be involved in risky behaviors. 

When interacting with kids in your life, whether it’s your Little or a child you care for, use these five elements to build a relationship to help kids be and become their best selves. 

Do you want to express care, challenge growth, provide support, share power, and expand possibilities for a child in your community, become a mentor, or Big, with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay? Attend a Big Orientation & Training session to get started. 

Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic Heritage Month occurs annually from September 15 through October 15, offering an opportunity for Bigs, Littles, and families to explore the beauty of the Hispanic culture together. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month seeks to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay encourages our Matches to learn about Hispanic cultures in various ways, such as cooking a Latine dish, reading a book that celebrates Hispanic heritage, or creating fun crafts together. Check out these ideas and activities you can do with a child in your life! 

1. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Home: scholastic.com 

2. 8 Kid-Friendly Hispanic Heritage Month Recipes: inspiredbyfamilymag.com

3. Latin American Crafts for Kids to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month: growingupbilingual.com 

4. 15 Picture Books that Celebrate Hispanic Heritage for Kids: readbrightly.com 

5. 9 Fun Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month: extendednotes.com

6. Hispanic Heritage Month History Video: Youtube.com 

7. Hispanic Heritage Month- Poetry for Teens: colorincolorado.org

8. Hispanic Heritage Month- Song and Dance for Younger Littles: beccasmusicroom.com 

9. Additional Resources: elcentronc.org 

Want to ignite the potential of a child in your community? Become a mentor or Big, and be a positive role model and friend to a kid who needs one.