ABSTRACT
For many parents of school-age children, managing the everyday activities at home, school, church, in the neighborhood, and at organized clubs and groups has become a well-orchestrated yet hectic routine. It is in the period of middle childhood that most children first reach out beyond the family to explore opportunities, establish social connections with other children and adults, and work to acquire specific skills and abilities. Schools and teachers are central to this new autonomy, yet children also actively encounter many other individuals in many other contexts. Further, even young children understand the interconnectedness of these different social contexts, as teachers and parents communicate about children’s strengths in the classroom, as peer groups are formed on the basis of shared interests and backgrounds, and positive reinforcement of one’s skills and abilities often translates into engagement in other domains.
