Social-Emotional Development of the Toddler

1. Social-Emotional Development of the Toddler

2. Case Study – “Emily” As she has become a toddler, Emily has begun to prefer her family members over strangers. She is quite attached to her yellow, fuzzy blanket, too. Emily wants to cuddle with her blanket at naptime when she is tired. Emily’s father has found it harder to part from Emily at the child care center each morning. She cries and clings to his leg as he’s leaving. The teachers say Emily keeps crying for more than an hour after he leaves. Emily’s father is unsure what to do to make mornings easier for her.

3. Case Study Questions • Does Emily’s crying sound typical or like something more serious? Explain. • What would you suggest to Emily’s dad and her caregivers to help Emily adjust better to partings at the child care center?

4. As babies become toddlers, two things happen: • Toddlers find out more about their world and themselves as individuals • Toddlers find the world is not solely devoted to meeting their needs

5. Self-Awareness • Through fast growing skills that influence the toddlers’ relationships with others and through their reactions to them, toddlers see and understand themselves! • They can move around by themselves • Reach objects • Beginning to talk

6. Self Awareness • Toddlers become aware of: • How they look • What belongs (and what doesn’t) to them • What they can and cannot do • Other’s feelings towards them • They realize they can be praised, let down and hurt emotionally by others

7. Achieving Autonomy • Autonomy = a form of self-control in which a toddler seeks to do his or her own will • Erik Erikson’s second stage of development = Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt • Erikson explained autonomy as the toddler’s feeling of being able to do some tasks without help from others • What is an example of autonomy?

8. Autonomy • Although toddlers want to be independent they can misjudge their skills! • Parents/Caregivers need to set limits • Provide safe choices • Redirect before a forbidden or unsafe action

9. Emotional Development • Cycles in childhood • Especially pronounced during the toddler years • New emotions develop (jealousy) • Periods of frustrations & rebellion then happiness, calmness & stability • Certain ages for different children • Remember each child is different

10. Emotional Development • 2 factors • Child’s experiences • Different for each child • Only child vs. multiple children, twins vs. singles • Care/love/affection • Child’s temperament • Temperament – way a child naturally responds to other people & events • Intense children – more frustrated than an adaptable child • Perceptive (observant) children – show more empathy

11. Child’s Temperament • Important to keep in mind when teaching children how to control their emotions • Consider the following: • Perceptive children – aware of environment, easily distracted vs. those that adapts to change slowly

12. Critical Thinking • A two-year old is allergic to wheat. The parent is not aware that this food gives the toddler stomach cramps. Because of this the toddler is often cranky. • How might this affect the toddler’s emotional development?? • 5 minutes to discuss with table • Report response to class

13. 18 Months • Self-centered • Thinking about one’s own needs & wants & not those of other • Not surprising – in infancy caregiver do meet all needs • Caregivers should begin to teach that not all needs will be met • Spoken instruction – not always successful • They like to do the opposite • Word “no” – control some of their world • Is defiant, trying to establish some control over her life

14. 18 Months • Negativism normal for a young toddler • Doing the opposite of what other want • Causes: • Desire for independence • Frustration • The realization of being a separate person • Battle Begins: Caregiver vs. Child • List Strategies & positive guidance tips to help deal with negative children.

15. Strategies & positive guidance tips • Eliminate as many restrictions as possible • Give choices • Instead of pick up your toys, try “which will you pick up first – the books or the toys • Redirect the child • Distract them from the issue causing the negative response • Encourage talking • “What’s wrong”

16. Bell Work 3-25-15 • What two factors other than age contribute to a toddler’s emotional development? • What is a temper tantrum? • How should you handle a tantrum? • Identify the six different emotions that toddlers show.

17. 18 months • Temper Tantrum • Release anger or frustration by screaming, crying, kicking, pounding and sometimes holding their breath • Minor frustrations will cause outburst • Occur until 3 or 4 • List ways to calm a toddler who is having a temper tantrum

18. Temper Tantrums • If one is about to begin, try to avoid it. Distract the child (toy, new activity) • Home – try ignoring it • Public – take child to quiet spot to cool down • Always remain calm & speak quietly yet firmly • Acknowledge the child’s feelings and restate why the child’s demands cannot me met • Set limits • Keep them from hurting themselves • Once tantrum is over, praise child for calming down

19. 2 years • Emotionally, they are less at odds with the world than 18 months • Their speech & motor skills – improved – therefore it eases their frustrations • Speak more – therefore telling you what they need/want • Are able to wait longer for their needs to be met • Express love & affection freely & seek approval and praise • Emotional outbursts – fewer & less intense • Get along better with parents & other children • More outgoing & friendly, less self-centered

20. 2 ½ Years • Difficult stage • Learning so much that they feel overwhelmed • Desires & ability to understand tasks exceed physical ability to perform • Struggle with immaturity & a powerful need for independence – resist pressure to conform • Stubborn, demanding & domineering • In a split second – they are lovable & charming • Require love & patience

21. 3 Years • Happier nature than 2 years • More cooperative, learning to be considerate • More physically capable – less frustrated • Modify behavior to win praise & affection they crave • Generally – fewer tantrums • Like to talk • Toys, playmates, themselves, imaginary friends • Want to tell parents all about their day!

22. 3 ½ Years • Once self-confident, now very insecure • Parents may feel that child is going backward than forward (emotionally) • Fears – Common • Dark, monsters, strangers, loud noises • Emotional tension – thumb sucking, nail biting • Try to ensure security by controlling their environment (bossy)

23. Group Presentation & Visual 5-7 minutes then Presenting! • Anger page 385 • Fear page 386 • Jealousy page 387 • Love & Empathy page 388 • Positive Self Concept page 390 • Eval. Emot. Adjust page 391 • Biting & Hitting page 385

24. Review • Complete questions #1-8 page 391

25. Extending Social Relations • Toddlers with a healthy attachment to caregivers have a safe base from which to meet people. • Babysitters • Relatives • Neighbors • Other Children

26. Extending Social Relations • Other Children • First interactions will be brief • They will imitate each other’s actions • Later, they will talk as they play • Children are possessive of their toys/belongings • They learn to share • They may return a snatched toy if the owner cries • They learn to show affection to other children • They praise other children or show concern for a hurt child.

27. Self Esteem • Self-esteem = Feeling good about yourself and what you can do! • Building self-esteem: • Toddlers enjoy hearing their names • Seeing themselves in mirrors • Caring adults who make them feel loved even when they are difficult or make mistakes

28. Emotions • Toddlers react to more stimuli than infants • They know more people to love, experience more things and people to fear, have more things to make them anxious and find more to anger them! • Toddlers can better sense emotions in others • They can detect fear in adults • They respond to emotions of other children

29. Emotions • Their increased motor skills allow them more physical responses • Running or hiding when afraid, hitting/kicking when angry • Their ability to imagine increases • Fear of the dark or monsters • Toddlers cannot separate what is real and what is pretend

30. Common Toddler Emotions • Jealousy • Fear • Anxiety • Anger • Empathy • Love & Affection

31. Affection • Attached to caregivers • Express affection through • Close proximity • Hugs and Kisses • Attachment to beloved toys/belongings

32. Fear • They imagine things that do not exist • Toddlers may fear: • Monsters • Animals • Darkness • Nightmares • “Bad people” • Injury • Gestures • Startling noises

33. Anxiety • Separation Anxiety continues into the toddler stage and sometimes beyond. • Many overcome SA because they feel a caregiver’s love and know they will return! • Increased language skill helps toddlers understand why parents sometimes leave.

34. Anxiety • Nightmares may begin around age 2 • A nightmare is a toddler’s way of dealing with anxiety. • Nightmares stem from fear of being left alone, getting hurt, or angering adults. • Nightmares tend to decrease in time.

35. Anger • Toddlers have a desire for more independence and have a strong will. • Temper Tantrums = Sudden emotional outbursts of anger commonly displayed by toddlers. • Lie on the floor, kick, and scream • Happens because something doesn’t go their way • Purpose is to seek attention • Ignoring may cause the child to stop • After the tantrum is over, give the toddler love and reassurance

36. Love & Affection • Relationship – caregiver & child form the basis of their capacity for love & affection later in life • Young children must learn to love • Strong, not smothering • Child depends entirely on caregiver = difficulty forming other relationships

37. Empathy • Ability to understand how another person feels • Years it was thought they were too selfish for this, but the latest research states otherwise • By age two, they can show it • Caregivers can help children show empathy

38. Writing Activity • Some people refer to the toddler years as the “terrible twos.” Write an essay explaining why people use this term to describe toddlers. Also discuss why this term is incorrect.

39. Signs that a child has a healthy relationship with his/her parent • Seeks approval & praise • Turns to parents and caregivers for comfort and help • Tell caregivers about significant events so they can share in the joy & sorrow • Accepts limits and discipline without too much resistance

40. Bell Work • How is being sleep deprived bad for an individual? • How many hours of sleep did you get last? • Is that adequate? • What is REM sleep?? • What is parallel play? • What is cooperative play?

41. The Importance of Adequate Sleep • Adequate (sufficient) sleep is essential to good physical and emotional health as adequate nutrition • Without sleep – sleep deprived – • Affect a child’s temperament & ability to do even simple tasks during the day • Less alert, inattentive, hyperactive, cranky • Develop properly = newest research 12-14 hours of sleep for 1 & 2 year olds

42. Sleep Cycles • REM Cycle – characterized by rapid eye movement • Light sleep – dream occurs • NREM sleep – cycle of sleep in which rapid eye movement does not occur • Deep sleep • Children more likely to wake up during REM sleep cycle

43. Prevent Sleep Deprivation • Sleep Deprived children • Trouble thinking • Risk of hurting themselves while playing • Fussy • Hard to get along with

44. Ways to help • Determine a child’s best bedtime • Limit toys in bed • Establish a bedtime routine • Keep bedtime pleasant

45. Individual Work • Page 401 • Questions #1-7

46. Quiz (on own paper) 3- 31-15 • What is the term given to the fear of being a way from parents, familiar caregivers or their normal environment? • What might frighten a one year old? • What age does jealously peak? • Summarize emotional patterns for the following ages: 18 mos, 2 yr, 2 ½ yr, 3 yr, & 3 ½ • Anger is more frequent in what type of child? • How many hours do 1-2 year old need? • Identify two ways you can tell if a parent/child relationship is healthy? • List four ways to help children get adequate sleep.