Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Strengthening Families!
Understanding Child Development
Innately Good
innocent only corruptible by a corrupted society (including parents)
Blank Slate
shaped by experiences in this life
Biological
temperament is present at birth, influenced by experience
Constructivist
individuals can construct their lives by working around or with biology and experience
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Emotional
Cue
Emotional Distance
Proper Expectations
Elder Neal A. Maxwell:
a tutoring God may require difficult things of His children [but he] would never command His children to do difficult things, except [He] first prepares the way (1 Nephi 3:7).
Unrealistic expectations are often the result of not understanding proper developmental milestones. Results of unrealistic parental expectations:
Children feel like failures Children are frozen in future attempts Disappointment and frustration toward children
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Structure is important
Lack of clear boundaries creates unease Children will test boundaries for firmness
Acceptance for who they are Express love and acceptance often
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Adolescent Myths
Invincible Fable Imaginary Audience Personal Fable
The end result of a loving relationship between parent and child is separation!
Learning Activity
Compare your child's developmental ability to your expectations of them. Are you expecting too much? How can you change this?
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By age four
Speaks unclearly Shows little interest in others No pretend play Difficulty separating from mother Cannot ride tricycle Difficulty separating from parents Difficulty in emotional self regulation Wets/soils bed
By age six
By age eight
Cannot tell time Noncompliant to authority figures Avoids school
At any age
Blames others for personal mistakes Bullies, threatens or fights with others Cruelty to animals or people Overly interested in sexual activity
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Realistic Expectations
Scaffolding
I do, you watch I do, you help You do, I help You do, I watch Independence!
Responding to Behavior
Know your children Respond with love and patience
Ignore the little things
Respond calm
Only address:
Life threatening Harming behavior
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QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
What Questions do you have? Be sure to get the participant guide and/or handouts. Next presentation will be Friday, May 3rd
Communicating with Love!
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