Social and emotional learning (SEL) does not start when children enter preschool; it begins before they are even born. During pregnancy, a child's brain is already forming pathways that will influence how they react to stress, how they bond with others, and how they process emotions later in life.

According to Anderman et al. (2024), prenatal experiences like maternal stress, poor nutrition, or substance use can lead to developmental risks that make it harder for a child to self-regulate or form healthy social relationships. These effects do not magically disappear as the child grows; they can resurface as behavioral challenges, poor peer relationships, or difficulty with trust in adolescence.

The CASEL framework reinforces this by emphasizing that effective SEL programs begin early and continue to build over time. Adolescents who struggle with decision-making, conflict resolution, or emotional expression often lack early opportunities to develop these skills in safe, nurturing environments.

As educators, we cannot change children's early circumstances, but we can provide consistent, responsive environments that support SEL at every stage.