SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESCHOOLER Unit 5

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

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!

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?

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.

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

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!

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

Extending Social Relations  Social learnings:  Sharing  Controlling anger  Thinking of other’s feelings  Making joint efforts with others

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!!

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

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!”

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!

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

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.”

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.

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

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!

Causes of Anger and Aggression  Preschoolers use aggression to  Get their way  Hurt another  Gain attention  Gain affection

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)