Chapter: 13 Emotional & Social Development from 4-6

Emotional Development 4-6 go through characteristic emotional stages ◦Each child well be somewhat different Depends on persons personality, family & experiences

4 Year Olds Not pleasant to live with ◦Selfish, defiant, boastful, argue, & compete Seek parental approval Hate one minute, love the next Proud of abilities, possessions, & creations Deny responsibility for actions Silly names & play on words ◦Antsy-Wantsy-Nancy Difficulty separating facts from fantasy Dislike being laughed at for mistakes ◦Don’t want to be babies anymore

5 Year Olds Practical, sympathetic, and serious Improved attention span Enjoy slapstick humor Carry on conversations & ask meaningful questions Like supervision, accept instruction, ask permission Emotionally more patient, generous, persistent, & conscientious ◦Occasional anxiety by desire to achieve acceptable results

6 Year Olds Stubborn & quarrelsome Resent directions(think they know everything) Rapidly changing moods ◦Love/hate, accept/reject, smile/pout Learn to appreciate humorous jokes Beginning full time school ◦Develop status outside of home Want to grow up, but feel small/dependent Crave praise/approval Easily hurt, wilt under criticism/easily discouraged

Anger Shows anger freely without attempt to restrain themselves 4 Engage in physical fights/last longer, threaten, & attempt to get even 5 Attempt to hurt feelings(not physically) 6 Tease, insult, nag, and make fun of others Take out on younger siblings, pets, & toys

Fear Well developed imaginations ◦Fear centers on imaginary dangers  Ghosts, robbers, kidnappers, vampires Sensitive/insecure prone to fears Being left alone, abandonment, darkness Fear school ◦Being without protection, bullies, mean teachers Social acceptance ◦Loss is a continual source of anxiety Rear ridicule ◦Don’t show fear- act aggressively, pretend indifference or deliberately try to distract

Jealousy and Sibling Rivalry Parents increase problems by favoring children Compare one to the other ◦Can damage self concept and cause family problems Tattling, critising, or lying/ nail bitting, bed wetting, tatrums ◦Some never out grow it

Children and Stress Fires, being unpopular, grades, missing kids Physical symptoms ◦Stomach aches, moodiness, irritability, eating troubles Help build self confidence

Competition Good or Bad? Some say helps them excel and prepare for adult world Some say it discourages cooperation Can damage self esteem Winners feel superior/losers develop harsh, unpleasant attitudes

General Social Patterns ◦learn social skills at different rates 4 Years Old Share toys/takes turns Family more important than friends 5 Years Old Out going/talkative Prefer friends their own age 6 Years Old Wants everything their own way Best friends usually of same sex Social relations characterized by aggression/threats/rudeness

Family Relationships Strong sense of family and home Proud of parents/delighted to help them Very protective of younger siblings Age 6 Self centered Starts to become less in harmony with family

Moral Development Parents responsible for learning moral sense Develop beginnings of conscience ◦Inner sense of right and wrong Rules form conscience Learn difference between truth and lies