| SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL MILESTONES |
| Children begin to develop their social and emotional skills right from birth. And they do so the same way they learn all new skills; by doing, thinking, and watching. Through play, interacting and talking with people, and thinking about their experiences, young children form ideas about how to respond to others. These ideas are often oversimplified, but don't worry. As your child's mind matures, his ideas about appropriate behavior will change and mature too. The chart below gives you a glimpse of how your child grows emotionally and socially and how you can encourage the behaviors that will help him develop maturity and good values. |
| YOUR CHILD MAY .... YOU CAN .... 0-2 Develop ties with parents and Respond to coos, gestures and words. caregivers. Struggle to balance the normal Ensure your child believes that you need for comforting with the find him lovable and that he can innate desire for independence. please you by being himself. Exhibit a distinct personality. Make separations gradual and gentle. Discover, through interactions, Acknowledge your child's likes and the social boundaries that he will dislikes. not be allowed to go beyond. _____________________________________________________________________ 3-4 Develop fears about monsters, Compliment your child when he uses loud noises, or the dark. social skills that you want him to repeat. Expand his vocabulary relating Encourage your child to become as to emotions. independent as he can. Follow adults' rules and policies Welcome your child's play, art, and (if they are clear and consistent) expression of emotions, and help him and want to please people he loves. put his feelings into words. Prefer some children as playmates Read children's books and deal with over others. feelings. Begin to develop concepts about social conventions and "right and wrong" by age 4. _____________________________________________________________________ 5-6 Have a clear sense of himself as Welcome opportunities that allow a separate, unique person. children to experience and think about issues of justice and fairness. Understand that conflicts can be Ensure that your child feels free to resolved without violence. share his honest feelings. Consider friendship an ongoing Help your child think through how relationship that offers privileges others feel and why, and what can but makes demands. be done to help them feel good. Believe that fairness means Encourage your child to find his identical treatment. own solutions to his social problems and moral dilemmas. ______________________________________________________________________ |
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