“You cannot force a tree to grow by pulling its branches, but you can nurture it by tending to the environment it grows in.”
Children’s environments play a powerful role in shaping their development, particularly in early life. From a young age, children learn about the world through the communities around them and the experiences they have within them. Their surroundings, such as their home, school, and wider social environment can provide the context in which they begin to understand relationships, safety, and how to respond to the world.
Early experiences within these environments can significantly influence a child’s emotional, social, and psychological development. Positive, stable, and nurturing environments tend to support healthy development, while unpredictable or stressful environments may contribute to feelings of uncertainty or anxiety.
This becomes especially important during uncertain or challenging times. Children are highly observant and often look to the adults in their lives for cues on how to interpret and respond to situations. As Stephen Porges (2011) said, children are actively scanning their environments for safety and or danger. The way adults manage stress, express emotions, and communicate during difficult moments can shape a child’s sense of safety and security. When adults respond with calmness, reassurance, and consistency, children are more likely to feel safe. In contrast, heightened stress or unpredictability in the environment may lead children to feel unsettled or unsure.
When children express their feelings and worries verbally, it is important that they feel heard and understood. However, young children, or those who find verbal communication difficult, often express themselves through externalising behaviours. These behaviours may appear undesirable, such as crying or tantrums, but they are a form of communication and self-expression. The safer a child feels emotionally with an adult, the more able they are to express themselves, knowing they will be met with Furthermore, the adults in a child’s life play a key role in providing emotional safety, regulation, and calm. During uncertain times, this becomes even more important, as children rely on adults as co-regulators. Understandably, adults may also feel the pressure of stress, conflict, or unpredictability. In these moments, such as when a sudden loud bang is heard, children will instinctively observe the adult’s response, looking to their body language and facial expressions for cues of safety.
Overall, the environment is not merely a foundation for development; it actively shapes how children understand themselves, others, and the world around them, as well as how emotionally secure and safe they feel.
At PTC, we take a relational and systemic approach to supporting children, recognising that a child’s emotional wellbeing cannot be understood in isolation. We consider the wider network of relationships, including family, school, and environment, and how these systems interact to shape the child’s experiences.
If you need support during these times reach out to us for child and adolescent psychotherapy in Dubai and UAE.
+971 507834705
hello@playtherapycentre.ae
References
Aghaziarati, A., & Nejatifar, S. (2023). Emotional Development and Regulation in Children: A Review of Recent Advances. KMAN Counselling and Psychology Nexus, 1(1), 118-125.
Alimah, N1,Gandini, S2,Fauziyah, N3 (2023). THE INFLUENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDREN. Muhammadiyah Surakarta university.
Porges, S. W. (2011) The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
