Social-emotional development of the preschooler

1. Social-emotional development of the preschooler Unit 5

2. Taking the Initiative • Becoming more independent • Improved abilities • Limitless energy • Strong desire to learn and explore

3. Erikson – Initiative vs. Guilt • Initiative = The ability to think or act without being urged. • Developing initiative is important because it sets the stage for ambitions later in life. • Yet, initiative can lead to failures. Too many failures can lead to guilt. • Guilt = Blaming yourself for something done wrong. • SO… caregivers need to make sure children know that it is OK to make mistakes!

4. Showing Responsibility • First step toward dependence • Adults should show examples • Select age-appropriate tasks • What are some chores that would be appropriate for a preschooler?

5. Learning Gender Roles • Preschoolers are beginning to grasp the concept of how to fit into certain social groups • Family, school, clubs, and others Gender-role learning = learning what behavior is expected of males and females • Gender role is a major concept children learn in the preschool years.

6. How does gender role develop? • By how others treat them and how they see others in their male or female roles • Sex-typing = treating boys and girls differently • Clothing • Toys • The way parents react • Children most often identify and imitate models of the same gender as well as: • Teachers • Characters from TV, movies, and storybooks

7. Cultural Differences • Society’s view of male and female is not as clearly defined as it once was! • Traditional views: • Male – more aggressive, economic head of the family • Female – wife, mother • How many of your mom’s stay-at-home? • Society’s view has CHANGED!

8. Sexual stereotyping = a statement or even a hint that men and women always do or should do certain tasks.

9. Extending Social Relations • Social learnings: • Sharing • Controlling anger • Thinking of other’s feelings • Making joint efforts with others

10. Adults are still important • Still depend on adults for many of their needs • Adults are social models • Teach by example • Model relationships • Morals • Self-control • Manners • And much more!!

11. Other children become more important • Siblings and peers are more important to preschool children than toddlers • Preschoolers do react to other children differently. Some preschoolers have fun playing with other children and some do not

12. Making Friends • Depends on the following: • child’s friendliness • Ability to follow group rules • Lack of dependence on adults • Prefer friends of the same gender • Self-centered view about friendships • They see friends as people who play with you, help you, share their toys with you, etc. • Creates a closed circle of friends • “You can’t play with us!”

13. Learning from Play Groups • Play experiences are richer with others • Learn new ideas • Behave with peers • Learn to play fairly • Become less self-centered • Learn that friends are fun! 

14. Feeling and Controlling Emotions • Preschoolers still react to common childlike stressors (situations that cause stress) • These may include: • Illness • Moving • Death • Adult quarrels • Divorce

15. Feeling and Controlling Emotions • Controlling outward signs of emotions such crying, screaming and hitting to help children become socially acceptable! • However, if children control emotions without admitting their underlying feelings to themselves and others, they may become emotionally troubled. • Children need to express themselves! • “I am angry.” • “I am afraid.”

16. Dependency • Preschoolers feel a conflict between their need for dependence and independence! • Sometimes preschoolers ask for help and they really do need it and other times they ask for help even when they don’t!  • Emotional Dependence: The act of seeing attention, approval, comfort and contact.

17. Fear and Anxiety • Some toddler fears fade away and preschoolers develop new fears, some increase. • Fear of the unknown • Monsters, Robbers • Fear of physical injury • Fear of death by fire, auto accident, drowning, the fear of bites from insects or animals • Fear of pain caused by medical and dental work • Anxiety of a general nature • Fear of a tornado may spread to thunderstorms and high winds

18. Anger and Aggression • Anger and Aggression being around 10 months of age. They peak with displays of temper in the toddler years and continue in the preschool years. • Preschoolers tend to hit and bite less than toddlers. • Yet they tend to threaten and yell more! • Boys are more physical and girls are more verbal even in the preschool stage!

19. Causes of Anger and Aggression • Preschoolers use aggression to • Get their way • Hurt another • Gain attention • Gain affection

20. Jealousy • Begins when people realize they must share with others the love, attention, possessions, and time once only given to them. • Most common time for jealousy is a new baby brother or sister • Repressed jealousy = Feelings of jealousy not directly expressed and may even be denied. • Show this type through nightmares, physical problems (headaches, upset stomachs, fevers, change in appetite)