Early Childhood, physical and socio-emotional characteristics

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This paper is a report of observation of physical and socio-emotional characteristics of two children. The report contains the observed characteristic of the two children, ages between four to six years, and provides recommendations to guardians and educators referring to various socio-emotional theories. The table below shows the observations form the two children.

Actions Similarities/differences

When give strange objects First child took immediately, second child did not take immediately but took after sometime. When other strange objects were brought, they both became hesitant to take. When asked why, one child said mum said they should not accept new things from strangers. The second did not talk but ignored.

New plays The first child easily leant new things compared to second child. The second child however was more innovative. He formed new patterns with playing materials than first student.

When playing materials were retrieved from them The fist child cried and threw stones at us., the second said something almost to himself.

Analysis

According to Frost et al., 2008, at the early ages, children normally understand themselves as persons and as part of social world. According to the author, at this stage, children start becoming autonomous, and their cognitive abilities allow them know how they fit to be part of their family. As observed in the two children and confirmed by Frost et al., 2008’s theory, important characteristics to be observed at this age is emotional development in term so self-esteem, self-regulation, and emotional controls. It was observed that the two children had shared characteristics in terms of self-concept, self-esteem, self-regulation of emotions and empathy.

Self-concept: the observation of the two children confirmed the development of self-concept for both the children. The children developed a firm awareness that they were separated from other children and had personal characteristics. Their self-concept as started by Frost et al., 2008 are defined by their physical characteristics by their competencies and skills mastery. The children were quick to master and reflect on their past experiences and observations.

Self-esteem. The two children began the task of judging themselves on worthiness and competencies. All the children had the feeling that they were the best in performing tasks and reasoning. The children overestimated their skills mastery and underestimated how new task might be difficult to complete. They had a belief that they could complete all tasks on their own and could move distances their counterparts could not. The children, based on their behavior, liked and disliked things based on their parental influences, approval and disapproval. The children as asserted by Frost et al., 2008 t this age rapidly acquire new skills and translate them into negative or positive feelings.

Self-regulation of Emotions. Ag the age between three to six years, children, based on the observations, develop an awareness and understanding of their feelings and emotions. Because they understand the emotions and its causes in them and other children, they were able to initiate behaviors that permitted them to cope with others. There was an indication that the children picked strategies for dealing with emotion and this was based on their parental influences. This tells the parents that they need to teach their children how to deal with anger and hostility as their children copy from them. Children should be taught how to deal with negation emotions and other peers.

In conclusion, the two children had many characteristics to share in common. Based on the observations and theories related to child’s physical and social-emotional characteristics, it is evident that children copy for what their parents teach them. They children are aware of the dos and don’ts and their even refer to their parents to have told them. This calls for the parents, guardian and educators to instill good characters in their children as these act as their controlling factors.

References

Frost, S. Wortham, S. and Reifel, 2008. Excerpt from Play and Child Development, by J.L. edition, p. 140-141.