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KUGLUKTUK/COPPERMINE - It’s never too early to teach kids social skills and virtues, says one daycare manager in Kugluktuk.

Shannon Case and her fellow staff at Kakayak Day Care have been engaging their young wards in activities that teach essential social skills and behaviours to carry forward through the early years and into adulthood.

A group of primarily daycare staff in Kugluktuk recently took a workshop on social skills and virtues in early childhood as bully prevention training. Left to right, front to back: Shannon Case, Angela Elatiak, Violet Etoktok, Patricia Algona, Diane Hala, Lesley Atatahak, Stella Miyok, Christine Kaiyogana, Elizabeth Kaosoni, Susan Buchanan and Nancy Havioyak. - photo courtesy of Aaron Taipana

“We are doing circle times and when we’re doing activities with them, just like teaching them how to share, (we're teaching) what caring means and how you get compliments,” she said. “It’s very good to start early before (they are) going to school.”

The new activities stem from a recent workshop titled “Teaching Social Skills and Virtues in Early Childhood,” which gives early childhood educators tools to teach young children healthy behaviours and to build character.

Susan Buchanan of Clarior Consulting, who has been delivering similar workshops in schools and communities across Nunavut for the last three years, was invited by the Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission to deliver programs she has developed to daycares throughout the region.

Buchanan recently spent a few days in each community, including Gjoa Haven, Kugaaruk and Cambridge Bay, providing what is essentially bullying-prevention training.

“The more social skills the child has in place by the age of seven, research has shown, the more likelihood they’ll have a successful adulthood,” she said. “The majority of bullying is happening because of people not being able to relate.

Relations are us. We are relations. We relate a work, at home, at the grocery store, on the street. That’s what human beings are.”

With the school and community sessions, Buchanan works with students, the entire staff and faculty as well as parents and the community in helping children develop friendship skills, group behaviour and personal life skills, and relate to their own emotions.

The idea is “for educators to be teaching a social skill, a virtue and an emotion each month,” she said.

Later this month, Buchanan will be going to Taloyoak for a follow-up on a program she facilitated in the community a year ago. At the same time, she will be working with the schools to address dating violence and conduct a series of community programs including a women’s wellness session.

“A lot of communities are asking us about parenting,” said Buchanan. “I think you have to get the parents well first before they can ever conceptualize parenting. It’s working on getting individual males and females well first.”