This article is an excerpt from the "ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators"[TM] Course Curriculum, module SE-6: Promoting Children's Sense of Self and Belonging. The course supports development of the essential skills educators need to optimize the social-emotional, cognitive, and language and literacy development of all infants and toddlers. For more information about the "ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators"[TM] and related suite of products and services, visit www.zerotothree.org/criticalcompetencies.