Summary

Belonging is a fundamental aspect of child development that plays a crucial role in shaping a child's overall well-being and sense of self. Research has shown that children who feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to their family, peers, and community have better social and emotional outcomes, including higher self-esteem, better mental health, and improved academic performance. The Royal Society Publishing stated, “The first aspect of the need to belong is that individuals seek positive social interactions with others. There is considerable evidence that, from early in development, children take pleasure in social interactions and engage in behaviors that serve to prolong positive engagement.” This is because belonging helps children develop a sense of identity, which in turn helps them to understand their place in the world and to form positive relationships with others.

Additionally, belonging is also important for children's physical health, as it can reduce the risk of developing chronic health conditions such as obesity and heart disease. This is because children who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, such as regular physical activity and healthy eating, and to avoid risky behaviors, such as substance abuse. Overall, belonging is essential for children's overall well-being and helps them to develop the skills and resilience they need to thrive in life.

Belonging

A sense of belongingness is a basic human need. Kendra Cherry says, "In social psychology, the need to belong is an intrinsic motivation to affiliate with others and be socially accepted. This need plays a role in several social phenomena such as self-presentation and social comparison." The effects of belonging are very positive. 

• Healthy and long-lasting relationships
• A sense of community
• A sense of self
• Motivation
• Reduced mental health issues
• Apart from something bigger than yourself

Belonging affects the way people present themselves. To be a part of a particular social group a person may conform to the way they dress or act to gain a greater acceptance and a greater sense of belonging. 

Teacher connection:

Understanding how important belonging is for development can be useful for teachers in several ways:

• It helps the teacher recognize how important it is for children to work together and build friendships.
• It can guide teacher behavior by helping teachers focus on creating an environment in which students feel comfortable.
• A pedagogy of belonging states, “The bond between the teacher and student creates the foundation upon which a sense of belonging can develop. Bronfenbrenner (1979) said that the teacher-student dyad was the primary crucible for learning and human development.”

Quiz questions:

 What is the importance of belonging in child development?

1. It helps children develop a sense of identity and to form positive relationships with others
   

2. It makes them feel more engaged and motivated in school
   

3. It improves their academic performance, and social and emotional outcomes and reduces the risk of developing chronic health conditions

4. All of the above

How does belonging impact a child's mental health?

• It has a positive impact on a child's mental health by increasing self-esteem and better mental health outcomes
  
• It increases the risk of developing mental health issues
• It has a negative impact by decreasing self-esteem and poor mental health outcomes
• It does not affect a child's mental health

How does belonging impact a child's academic performance?

1. It does not affect a child's academic performance
   

2. It makes them more prone to fail academically
   

3.  It improves their academic performance by making them more engaged and motivated in school

4. It deteriorates their academic performance by making them less engaged and motivated in school
   

What is the role of families, peers, and schools in shaping children's sense of belonging?

1. Families provide a sense of security and stability for children, peers provide social support and validation, and schools provide opportunities for children to develop their skills and talents
   

2. Families, peers, and schools have no role in shaping children's sense of belonging
   

3. Families and schools have a role in shaping children's sense of belonging, peers have no role
   

4. Peers have a role in shaping children's sense of belonging, families and schools have no role.

References and further reading:

Here are two references about self-actualization:

• A must-read: "The Origins of belonging: Social Motivation in Infants and young children" published by The Royal Society Publishing (online article): This article talks about belonging in child development. It can be accessed online at https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rstb.2015.0072

• "A pedagogy of belonging" by Mitchell Beck and James Malley (online article): This article is about the importance of having belonging in schools. It can be accessed online at https://cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-0303-belonging.html
• Elder Christopherson's talk "Doctrine of Belonging" is worth a watch/read. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/28christofferson?lang=eng
• Learn more about the psychology of belonging with this article "How to Increase your Sense of Belonging" by Kendra Cherry. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-need-to-belong-2795393