THIS MODULE INCLUDES:

FOSTER CHILDREN’S INDEPENDNCE AND AUTONOMY

ENCOURAGE CHILDEN TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS, IDEAS AND NEEDS
STIMULATE CHILDREN’S AWARENESS AND CREATIVITY
FOSTER CHILDREN’S SELF ESTEEM AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELF CONCEPT
FOSTER CHILDREN’S INDEPENDNCE AND
AUTONOMY

JEAN PIAGET’S COGNITIVE

DEVELOPMENT THEORY
AND DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING.

THEY ARE DISTINCT FROM EMOTIONAL AND VOLITIONAL

PROCESSES INVOLVED IN WANTING AND INTENDING.

COGNITIVE CAPACITY IS MEASURED GENERALLY WITH

INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (IQ) TESTS.
THESE ARE HIGHER-LEVEL FUNCTIONS
OF THE BRAIN AND ENCOMPASS
LANGUAGE, IMAGINATION, PERCEPTION,
AND PLANNING.
JEAN PIAGET’S THEORY
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
1) PRESCHOOLER’S COGNITIVE STAGE IS “CONCRETE
OPERATIONAL”
2) THE CHILD IS ABLE TO CLASSIFY, ORDER AND SORT FACTS
3) MOVES FROM PRE-LOGICAL THOUGHT TO SOLVING CONCRETE
PROBLEMS THOUGH LOGIC
4) DECENTERING, ACCOMMODATION, CONSERVATION AND CLASS
INCLUSION IS LEARNED
FOSTER CHILDREN’S
INDPENDENCE AND
AUTONOMY
COMMUNICATION

1. SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER CHOICES;

ALLOW ASKING QUESTIONS
2. SPEAK IN SIMPLE SENTENCES; BE CONCISE
AND LIMIT LENGTH OF EXPLANATION
3. DESCRIBE PROCEDURES AS THEY ARE ABOUT
TO BE PERFORMED (VISUAL LEARNING); USE
PLAY TO EXPLAIN PROCEDURES AND ACTIVITIES
4. ALLOW HANDLING THE INSTRUMENT OR
EQUIPMENT WHICH WILL EASE FEAR AND HELP
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
SCHOOL-AGE SAFETY
1. SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN ARE READY FOR TIME ON THEIR OWN
WITHOUT DIRECT ADULT SUPERVISION IF THEY CAN RELIABLY
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND CAN OCCUPY THEMSELVES FOR AN
HOUR’S TIME
2. SEXUAL ABUSE IS AN UNFORTUNATE AND ALL-TOO-COMMON
HAZARD FOR CHILDREN IN THIS AGE GROUP
• A. CHILDREN SHOULD KEEP ADULTS INFORMED AS TO WHERE THEY ARE AND
WHAT THEY ARE DOING

• B. REMIND NOT GO WITH STRANGERS; PARENTS/CAREGIVER CAN

ESTABLISH A SECRET WORD CODE WITH CHILD

• C. INSTRUCT TO SAY “NO” TO ANYONE WHO TOUCHES THEM IF THEY DO NOT

WISH IT, INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
•D. DON’T ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE LEFT ALONE WITH A PERSON
THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH BECAUSE HE/SHE TOUCHES
THEM IN A WAY THEY DON’T LIKE
•E. TEACH THEM A “PRIVATE PART” IS THE PART OF THEIR BODY
THAT A BATHING SUIT COVERS; IF SOMEONE ASK THEM TO SHOW
THEIR PRIVATE PART OR TOUCHES THEM, TELL THEM TO STOP
AND TELL SOMEONE ELSE
•F. FOR LATE SCHOOL-AGE, TEACH RULES OF SAFER SEX, SUCH AS
USE OF CONDOMS, INSPECTING PARTNER, ETC.
3. ACCIDENTS IS STILL THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND
TENDS TO OCCUR WHEN CHILDREN ARE UNDER STRESS
BECAUSE THEY ARE LESS ATTENTIVE; SOME CHILDREN ARE
MORE ACTIVE, CURIOUS AND IMPULSIVE AND THEREFORE,
MORE VULNERABLE TO ACCIDENTS; SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
MUST BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME
•GENERAL COMMUNITY
•BURNS
•MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
•BURNS
•FALLS
•SPORTS INJURIES
•DROWNING
ENCOUAGE CHILDREN TO EXPRESS THEIR
FEELINGS, IDEAS AND NEEDS
A 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD HAS A
VOCABULARY OF ABOUT 900 WORDS;
THESE ARE USED TO ASK QUESTIONS CONSTANTLY; MOSTLY “HOW” AND “WHY”
QUESTIONS UP TO 400 A DAY; CAN GIVE OWN NAME AND AGE; USES THREE OR
FOUR-WORD SENTENCES
CHILD NEEDS SIMPLE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

SO CURIOSITY, VOCABULARY BUILDING AND QUESTIONING

ARE ENCOURAGED AND ALSO BECAUSE THE DEPTH OF
CHILD’S UNDERSTANDING IS OFTEN DECEPTIVE
WORDS WITH DOUBLE AND TRIPLE
MEANINGS CAN BE TRULY CONFOUNDING TO
CHILDREN
3 YEARS OLD 900 WORDS
4 YEARS OLD 1500 WORDS
5 YEARS OLD 2100 WORDS
THEY ENJOY PARTICIPATING IN MEALTIME
CONVERSATION AND CAN DESCRIBE
SOMETHING FROM THEIR DAY IN GREAT
DETAILS
PRESCHOOLERS IMITATE LANGUAGE EXACTLY SO IF THEY
HEAR LESS-THAN-PERFECT LANGUAGE, THIS IS THE
LANGUAGE PATTERN THEY ADOPT; THEY MAY IMITATE AND
USE “BATHROOM LANGUAGE” IF NOT CORRECTED BECAUSE
OF THE ATTENTION FROM ADULTS THIS GENERATES
PRE-SCHOOLERS ARE EGOCENTRIC SO THEY
DEFINE OBJECTS IN RELATION TO THEMSELVES (A
KEY IS NOT A METAL BUT A THING THAT IS USED
TO OPEN THE DOOR) 8. STARTS TO SING A SONG;
FOLLOW RULES OF INTERACTIVE PEER GAMES
PLAY
PRESCHOOLERS DO NOT NEED MANY TOYS; ALSO
KNOWS HOW TO TAKE TURNS, DEVELOPS
COOPERATIVE PLAY AND ENGAGE IN MAGICAL
THINKING AT AGE 3 YEARS-OLD
They imitate
what they see
from
parents/caregi
ver, playmates,
television,
environment
 THEY PRETEND
TO BE TEACHERS,
COWBOYS,
FIREFIGHTERS,
ETC
MANY PRESCHOOLERS HAVE IMAGINARY FRIENDS AS
A NORMAL PART OF HAVING AN ACTIVE IMAGINATION;
THESE OFTEN EXIST UNTIL CHILDREN FORMALLY
BEGIN SCHOOL; CAN DISTINGUISH FANTASY FROM
REALITY AT 4
4 AND 5-YEAR-OLDS DIVIDE THEIR TIME
BETWEEN ROUGH HOUSING AND IMITATIVE
PLAY
 5-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN ARE ALSO
INTERESTED IN GROUP GAMES OR
SONGS WITH ACTIONS; THEY LIKE
GAMES WITH NUMBERS OR LETTERS
CHILDREN AT PRESCHOOL PERIOD CHANGE
A GREAT DEAL IN THEIR ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AND HOW THEY
RELATE TO PEOPLE
THEY DETERMINE RIGHT FROM WRONG BASED ON THEIR
PARENTS/CAREGIVERS RULES

THEY HAVE LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RATIONALE FOR

THESE RULES OR EVEN WHETHER THE RULES ARE
CONSISTENT
THEY WONDER IF THE SAME RULE APPLIES WHEN THEY FACE
DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND SETTINGS
Jean Piaget’s Theory –
Cognitive Development

1) preschooler’s cognitive
stage is “Preoperational
Stage”
2) child learns to think in
terms of past, present and
future
3) moves to prelogical
thinking and finding
solutions to problems
SIGMUND FREUD’S THEORY – PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT
1)DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL IS CALLED “PHALLIC STAGE”
2) EXPERIENCES PLEASURE AND CONFLICTING FEELINGS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENITAL ORGANS
3)THE PLEASURE OF MASTURBATION AND THE FANTASY LIFE OF
CHILDREN SET THE STAGE FOR THE OEDIPUS AND ELECTRA
COMPLEX
PARENTS MUST BE REASSURED THAT THIS
PHENOMENON OF COMPETITION AND
ROMANCE IS NORMAL; THEY MAY NEED TO
CONTROL FEELINGS OF JEALOUSY AND
ANGER
DISCIPLINE
1. PRE-SCHOOLERS HAVE DEFINITE OPINIONS ON
THINGS SUCH AS WHAT THEY WANT TO EAT, WHERE
THEY WANT TO GO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO WEAR;
THIS MAY BRING THEM INTO OPPOSITION WITH
THEIR PARENTS
PARENTS/CAREGIVER IS RESPONSIBLE
TO GUIDE A CHILD THROUGH THESE
STRUGGLES WITHOUT DISCOURAGING
THE CHILD’S RIGHT TO HAVE AN
OPINION
“TIMEOUT” IS A GOOD TECHNIQUE TO CORRECT
BEHAVIOUR THROUGHOUT THE PRESCHOOL
YEARS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE
PARENTS/CAREGIVER TO DISCIPLINE WITHOUT
USING PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT AND ALLOW A
CHILD TO LEARN A NEW WAY OF BEHAVIOUR
WITHOUT EXTREME STRESS
 COMMON FEARS OF THE PRESCHOOLER
1.FEAR OF THE DARK
2. FEAR OF MUTILATION
3. FEAR OF SEPARATION OR ABANDONMENT
BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME
DEFINITION: ABUSE OF CHILDREN BY PARENTS
OR OTHER CAREGIVERS; THE ABUSE CAN BE
PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, NUTRITIONAL OR
EMOTIONAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF BATTERED CHILDREN
1. THEY ARE OFTEN FROM AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY
2. MANY OF THEM WERE PREMATURE, HAD A LOW BIRTH
WEIGHT OR HAD MAJOR BIRTH DEFECTS
3. THEY SOMETIME RESEMBLE A PERSON THAT THE
PARENTS DISLIKED
INTERVENTIONS FOR BATTERED CHILD AND
PARENTS
1. INTERVIEW THE PARENTS CALMLY REGARDING THE HISTORY OF
THE INCIDENT
2.CONTROL YOUR OWN FEELINGS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE
PARENTS TO WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH THE FAMILY
3.PROVIDE PHYSICAL CARE FOR THE CHILD AS NEEDED
4. EMOTIONAL CARE FOR THE CHILD SHOULD INCLUDE PROVIDING
A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, EXPLAINING THE PROCEDURE AND
SITUATION, PROVIDING TOYS AND FAMILIAR BELONGINGS
WHEN THE CHILD IS HOSPITALIZED; PROVIDE PHYSICAL
CUDDLING AND HOLDING WHEN APPROPRIATE
5. REFERRALS SHOULD BE MADE A SOCIAL
WORKER, LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES, THE POLICE AND
PSYCHOLOGIST AS NEEDED
THE HOSPITALIZED PRESCHOOLER
A.SEPARATION ANXIETY
B.FEAR OF INJURY AND PAIN
C.LOSS OF CONTROL
INTERVENTIONS
1. PROVIDE A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT
2. TAKE TIME FOR COMMUNICATION; ALLOW
OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS
3. ALLOW TO EXPRESS ANGER; ACKNOWLEDGE FEARS AND
ANXIETIES
4. ACCEPT REGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR; ASSIST IN MOVING
FROM REGRESSIVE TO APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR
ACCORDING TO AGE AND DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE
5. ENCOURAGE ROOMING-IN OR LEAVE FAVORITE TOY
6. ALLOW MOBILITY AND PROVIDE PLAY AND DIVERSIONAL
ACTIVITIES
7. PLACE PRE-SCHOOLER WITH OTHER CHILDREN OF THE
SAME AGE IF POSSIBLE
8. ENCOURAGE TO BE INDEPENDENT
9. EXPLAIN PROCEDURES SIMPLY ON THE PRESCHOOLER’S
LEVEL
10.USE PLAY TO EXPLAIN PROCEDURES, LESSEN STRESS AND
ANXIETY AND AS DIVERSIONAL ACTIVITY
11. AVOID INTRUSIVE PROCEDURES WHEN POSSIBLE
12.ALLOW WEARING OF UNDERPANTS 13.PARENTS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO ASSIST IN THE CHILD’S CARE