Preschool – Emotional Development

1. Erik Erikson: Initiative VS Guilt INITIATIVE: is the decision and motivation to accomplish more tasks than expected or asked. The desire to accomplish tasks is based on the child’s motivation and self-worth. Children supported in these efforts develop self-confidence GUILT: Repeated discouragement/punishment may lead to feelings of guilt, inferiority, or inadequacy *** Provide more opportunities for SUCCESS than FAILURE

Initiative VS Guilt Initiative Encourage child to create and to try new things Teach them that mistakes do not make them bad, but this is how we learn. (miss take = try task again) Allow and encourage a child’s ambitions, new abilities, ideas, and opinions. Let them do things on their own. Guilt

2. Emotional Development A preschooler is gaining stronger inner self-control and self-management of emotions and can begin to relate to other’s emotions

Fears In addition to imaginary dangers (such as ghosts, monsters, and robbers), a preschooler also has real fears of the dark, being left alone or abandoned, school, and loss of social acceptance.

Dealing with these Fears ► A caregiver can help a preschooler deal with these fears by.... Accept the child’s fears by listening and understanding, do not dismiss it Let the child express the fear without being ridiculed or made fun of Help the child feel able to face the fear: talking about it, acting it out, problem solve ways to handle the fear Taking appropriate actions, if the fear is justified, to remove the source

3. Imaginary Friends Imaginary friends are common in preschoolers. They show a very healthy and normal emotional and social development.

Social Development

Social Milestones 3 Year Old Takes turns Likes to “help” in small ways Responds to verbal guidance Enjoys being by others Will talk to anyone 4 Year Old

1. Preschoolers are peer-oriented. 2. They are enjoying new social skills and spending more time outside of the home playing with others their age. 3. As part of their new social skills, a preschooler is more able and willing to share.

Preschool Environment 4. Preschool children can learn specific social skills in the preschool environment Taking turns Sitting still for longer periods Raising hands Improving manners

PLAY! 5. Play is still a child’s work! 6. Preschoolers continue to play in solitary, on-looker, and parallel play. 7. They begin to engage in what is called cooperative play Cooperative Play : where children play and interact with one another 8. EXAMPLE: building a sand castle together, playing store