Social-emotional skills are as important to a child’s success in learning as academic skills. A child who has healthy social skills is able to enjoy interacting with others and to make and keep friends. Healthy emotional skills enable a child to express and manage feelings and to calm down when upset without hurting self or others. These capacities promote exploration of new environments, curiosity and discovery through all ages and stages of childhood.

At Tuesday’s Power of Parenting workshop, parents can learn about social-emotional health in children and how to support its development at all ages. The free 90-minute session begins at 6 p.m. in the Media Center at Thunder Bay Junior High School on Third Avenue in Alpena.

Panelists are from Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District, Great Start Collaborative coordinator Angie Bruning, BA-FLE, and school psychologists Olivia Lehr, Ed.S, NCSP, and Janette Polkinghorn, PhD, will be at the meeting. From Catholic Human Services is clinical supervisor Larry LaCross, LMSW, CAADC, CCS; and from Partners In Prevention is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders project director Mary Schalk, CPS.

Registration is requested by calling Partners In Prevention at 989-356-2880. A limited number of free childcare slots for ages one to 10 are available with advanced reservations.

Power of Parenting workshops are planned by the agencies and parents who comprise the Parenting Education Team (PET). New members are welcome; interested persons can contact Partners In Prevention for more information.

Next month’s workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 19, will feature Donna Hardies, CPS, from UpNorth Prevention. She’ll discuss opiates and other drug trends.