Emotional Development of Children, Essay Example

Child development is reviewed step by step in the educational video (Child Emotional Development) describes how babies and toddlers become more aware of their environment, feelings, and reactions to events. Infants – as human beings – certainly have emotions, however, they have limited abilities to express and use them. A child goes from being able to show emotions to understanding them,  reading other people’s facial expressions and considering the impact of their action on others’ emotions. At the age 2-3, children show signs of tantrums, however, this is normal, and caregivers need to ensure that they do not encourage this behavior by rewarding or punishing it. As children’s cognition develops, they learn how to use their emotions and get attention by creating tantrums. This manipulation technique is a sign that the child is aware of their actions’ impact on others.

Separation anxiety is based on the child’s preference to surround themselves with a familiar environment and familiar objects. Therefore, caregivers should talk to parents about what sounds, activities, and objects the children are familiar with. The need for security and protection at an early age is high in children, therefore, they are scared of the unknown. This might be the reason for their fear of unfamiliar faces or environments.

Dealing with temper tantrums can be one of the most challenging tasks of parents and caregivers. Based on the video and the Chicago University’s publication (n.d.), consistency, emotional stability and reinforcement, and distraction are the most effective ways of dealing with this behavioral issue that can potentially affect other children in the group. My parents used the method of ignorance, and usually turned to my brother leaving me out of the play. This method created a sense of distraction, and helped me become more aware of the environment.

References

Chicago University. (n.d.) Temper Tantrums and Management. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.uchicago.edu/chiefs/cliniccurriculum/documents/tempertantrums.pdf

“Emotional Development of Children”. Video.  Retrieved from     http://online4.fiu.edu/SA3/Flash/Whiddon/SOP3015/Emotional_Development/Emotional_Development.html