SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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YEAR OLDSYEAR OLDS

GENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNSGENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNS

• 4 year old4 year old– Form friendships w/friendsForm friendships w/friends– More time in cooperative playMore time in cooperative play– Play best in groups of 3 or 4Play best in groups of 3 or 4– Share toys and take turnsShare toys and take turns– Still bossy and inconsiderate; may fightStill bossy and inconsiderate; may fight– Family still importantFamily still important– Often search for approvalOften search for approval

GENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNSGENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNS

• Five Year OldFive Year Old– More outgoing and talkativeMore outgoing and talkative– Play best in groups of 5 or 6Play best in groups of 5 or 6– Play is more complicatedPlay is more complicated– When fighting; resort to name-calling When fighting; resort to name-calling

and wild threatsand wild threats– More respect for others’ belongingsMore respect for others’ belongings– Social acceptance is important to themSocial acceptance is important to them

5 year old, cont.5 year old, cont.

– Concerned about what friends say/doConcerned about what friends say/do– Don’t like to be differentDon’t like to be different– Fear ridiculeFear ridicule– Teasing may be very harmfulTeasing may be very harmful– Gossip beginsGossip begins– Talk may be very personal and criticalTalk may be very personal and critical

GENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNSGENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNS

• Six Year OldSix Year Old– Relations may be filled with:Relations may be filled with:

•FrictionFriction

•AggressionAggression

•ThreatsThreats

•StubbornnessStubbornness

6 year old, cont.6 year old, cont.

– They want everythingThey want everything– Want their wayWant their way– May not share toysMay not share toys– Jealous of others’ toysJealous of others’ toys– Best friends usually same sexBest friends usually same sex– More long-lasting relationshipsMore long-lasting relationships– Group play & organized sports commonGroup play & organized sports common– Team effort not formed yet – may tire of gameTeam effort not formed yet – may tire of game

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPSFAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

• Four Year OldFour Year Old– Strong sense of familyStrong sense of family– Want to feel important in familyWant to feel important in family– Proud to perform household tasksProud to perform household tasks– Fight w/siblingsFight w/siblings

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPSFAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

• Five Year OldFive Year Old– Similar to 4’sSimilar to 4’s– Proud of parentsProud of parents– Willing to help outWilling to help out– Play much better w/siblingsPlay much better w/siblings– Protective, kind and dependable Protective, kind and dependable

w/younger siblingsw/younger siblings

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPSFAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

• Six Year OldSix Year Old– Less harmony with family membersLess harmony with family members– More self-centeredMore self-centered– Opinions come firstOpinions come first– Arguing w/adults more commonArguing w/adults more common– Rough and impatient w/younger siblingsRough and impatient w/younger siblings– Fight w/older siblingsFight w/older siblings

MORAL DEVELOPMENTMORAL DEVELOPMENT

The process of learning, over The process of learning, over time, personal belief’s of right time, personal belief’s of right

and wrong.and wrong.

Parents should…..Parents should…..

• Guide positive behaviorGuide positive behavior

• Give age appropriate rulesGive age appropriate rules

• Give appropriate consequences when Give appropriate consequences when rules are violatedrules are violated

• Be consistentBe consistent

Moral Development forms….Moral Development forms….

• By age five and seven,By age five and seven,– Gradually develop the beginning of Gradually develop the beginning of

conscience conscience – Inner sense of right and wrongInner sense of right and wrong– Feelings of guiltFeelings of guilt– Behavior choices/consequencesBehavior choices/consequences

Early childhood rules impact the formation of Early childhood rules impact the formation of conscience in early school years!conscience in early school years!

LYINGLYING

• The difference between truth and lies The difference between truth and lies is difficult to grasp and not always is difficult to grasp and not always accurate in younger children.accurate in younger children.

• They may exaggerate details of a They may exaggerate details of a story they tell.story they tell.

• As they develop morally, they begin As they develop morally, they begin to separate fact from fiction.to separate fact from fiction.

LYING, CONT.LYING, CONT.

• They start to understand that telling the They start to understand that telling the truth assists others in making decisions.truth assists others in making decisions.

• They will lie based on consequences that They will lie based on consequences that they may have to face.they may have to face.

• They begin to learn right from wrong and They begin to learn right from wrong and avoid direct confrontations.avoid direct confrontations.

• When approached in non-threatening way, When approached in non-threatening way, they are more likely to tell the truth, they are more likely to tell the truth, developing a pattern of truthfulness.developing a pattern of truthfulness.

GUIDELINES FOR MORAL GUIDELINES FOR MORAL DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

• Consider child’s age/abilitiesConsider child’s age/abilities

• Set a good exampleSet a good example

• Learning self-discipline is lifelong Learning self-discipline is lifelong tasktask

• Talk privately about mistakesTalk privately about mistakes

• Continue to show love despite Continue to show love despite misbehaviormisbehavior

HANDLING OUTSIDE HANDLING OUTSIDE INFLUENCESINFLUENCES

• Peer influencesPeer influences– WordsWords– Speech patternsSpeech patterns– Toys choicesToys choices– Clothing choicesClothing choices

Parental rules and communication to set Parental rules and communication to set boundaries.boundaries.

HANDLING OUTSIDE HANDLING OUTSIDE INFLUENCESINFLUENCES

• TelevisionTelevision– ValuesValues– Unpleasant imagesUnpleasant images– BehaviorsBehaviors– LanguageLanguage– Fantasy scenariosFantasy scenarios– ViolenceViolence

Parental limitations necessary based on content. Parental limitations necessary based on content. Parents need to make themselves aware!Parents need to make themselves aware!

HANDLING OUTSIDE HANDLING OUTSIDE INFLUENCESINFLUENCES

• Video/computer gamesVideo/computer games– ViolenceViolence– Unrealistic behaviorsUnrealistic behaviors– LanguageLanguage

Parental awareness of age appropriateness Parental awareness of age appropriateness for child and enforce time limitations.for child and enforce time limitations.