EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT The Middle Years

Sense of Self  Development of sense of self is one of the most important changes during this time  Ties into social development and determining who you are and where you fit in  Begin to identify their own qualities  Begin to notice differences in behavior  Realize others see them differently

Developing Competence and Confidence  Develop sense of competence  Begin to feel that they can be successful  Acquire skills in and out of the classroom  Ties back to Erik Erikson:  Developing skills  higher self-esteem  try new things  Most children gain the most self-confidence in the middle years  Important for children to see more success than failure

Helping to Build Self- Confidence – fill their pots!  Helping with self confidence for the middle years:  Focus on strengths  Provide opportunities  Encourage learning  Establish reachable goals  Recognize success  Focus on the positive

Awareness of Gender Differences  Gender identity occurs during this stage  Become aware of the differences between genders – physically, socially, and cognitively  Tend to hang out and associate with friends of the same genders  May begin to explore interest and relationships with the opposite gender

Year by Year Emotional Development – Year by Year  Often feel as they are on an emotional rollercoaster  May be happy and outgoing at one time, and then anxious or withdrawn the next  Emotional changes tend to follow a pattern that change from year to year  7 – typically withdrawn and quiet, stay close to home, worry about issues around them, can be sensitive to what others say

Year by Year Emotional Development – Year by Year  8 – Have a more positive attitude, explore and become curious about new things, lively and active, sometimes dramatic  9 – become absorbed in their thoughts, harsh on themselves, can be embarrassed about themselves, hide feelings, show signs of anxiety and tension  10 – Become positive again, growing self confidence, find and focus on strengths

Year by Year Emotional Development – Year by Year  Pre-teens (Twens 11 to 12) – as puberty begins, as puberty begins:  hormonal changes occur,  feel awkward, mood swings,  absorbed in their own thoughts and concerns,  pay little attention to anyone besides their peers,  crave acceptance,  become anxious if they stand out,  don’t want to be different  often hide their true feelings, which shows development of emotional control

- AngerEmotional Development - Anger  Anger:  Even happy children can show signs of anger  Preteens can be moody  Outbursts often have little to do with what triggers them, but rather bottled up emotions from another event  By 7, kids can usually express their anger in socially acceptable way

- AngerEmotional Development - Anger  Controlling anger:  Teach the child how to gain self control  Help the child learn non-aggressive ways to resolve conflicts  Reward the child for controlling their anger  Help the child learn to use physical activity to work off anger

– Fear, Worry, and Anxiety Emotional Development - – Fear, Worry, and Anxiety  Fear & Worry  Worries turn from being afraid of something (spiders, the dark, monsters) to worrying about what situations might happen or what others think of them  Anxiety (uncertainty and fear)  Anxiety is normal in preteens – however, excessive anxiety can be signs of a disorder  Over worrying and constant fears can lead to physical issues including headaches, nausea, or increased heart rate

– Envy, Jealousy, and Bullying Emotional Development – Envy, Jealousy, and Bullying  Envy & Jealousy  As children become more aware of the world around them, they often develop the feeling of wanting what others have  An emotion that involves the fear that someone may be thought of more often, be liked more, or be better at something  Because of the need/want to fit in, jealousy is very common at this stage  Bullying can result from jealousy