Family Relationships & Moral Development

4 years They have a strong sense of family and home Want to feel important in the family, proud to do chores May fight with siblings

5 years Similar to 4 year olds. Proud of their parents and enjoy helping Plays better with younger siblings, usually protective, kind, and dependable.

6 years Less in harmony with their family members, becoming more self-centered Their own opinions and needs come first Arguing with adults is common Often rough and impatient with younger brothers and sisters, may fight with older siblings

Moral Development The process of gradually learning to base one’s behavior on personal beliefs of right and wrong. Parents have a responsibility to help their children develop a moral sense that will guide their behavior. They cant understand the reasons behind the rules or difference between right and wrong.

Moral Development, cont’d They learn to avoid bad behaviors b/c they don’t want to lose love & approval Between ages 5-7 children develop the beginning of a conscience- rules learned in early childhood form the basis of the conscience in early school years.

Why do four year olds lie. Why do teens lie Why do four year olds lie? Why do teens lie? How would you handle each situation? Discussion

Lying Children’s understanding between truth and lies isn’t always accurate. Help children separate fact from fiction. But punishing them when they are imaginative isn’t appropriate It is important to tell the truth because people rely on what others say as they decide how to act. Q: Can you all think of any stories/exaggerations that a young child has told you, or that you said as a child?

Lying, cont’d. Sometimes children lie because they fear the consequences of something they did wrong. Punishment for undesirable behavior shouldn’t be so severe that a child would rather lie than take the consequence. Don’t directly confront children at this age. Ask them in a nonthreatening way so they will be more willing to tell the truth. This helps establish truthfulness.

Guidelines for Moral Development Consider the child’s age and abilities. Set a good example Remember that learning self-discipline is a lifelong task Talk about mistakes in private Continue to show love despite misbehavior.

Handling Outside Influences Influence of peers increases as children spend more time away from home. Children may learn things from TV that are against their family’s values and rules. Parents must monitor the TV shows they watch and encourage other activities in which they can learn from. Q: What are some of the outside influences that can impact children? -TV, peers, celebrities, movies, teachers, coaches, etc.   Q: What can children learn from these influences? -behavior, speech, likes/dislikes, etc.

Children and lies pg 474 Questions: What is the difference between a 4 year olds story and a teen’s lie? How would you handle each situation? 5 year old Savannah takes toys away from other children, what would you do? How would you define “friend” based on how you and your friends act? How different do you think a child 4-6 would define “friend”?