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ECE 497

Sandra Lawrence,
March 9, 2015

Early Childhood

During early childhood, children learn to develop


social emotional and self-regulation skills. Children
during this stage of development express
different emotions and feelings. Therefore, it is
important for adults to understand and to help
teach children how to cope with their feelings of
anger and frustrations without hurting others. It
is important for children to learn the rules and how to
play with others. Through play, children can use their
thinking skills when making the right decisions.
Knowing what triggers a childs behavior, adults can
help manage and understand why the child is misbehaving.
Keep in mind that prevention is always the key.

EMPATHY

What is self-regulation?
Self regulation is the process of controlling
ones behavior in order to learn and to
become self-motivated.
Teachers can encourage self-regulation by
discussing and reinforcing the rules each
day and by modeling appropriate
behaviors. When children learn to share,
take turns, and follow directions, they
develop self-regulation.

Helpful Tips
Here are some tips that could help in
promoting emotional self-regulation.
Demonstrate good manners,
such as please, thank you, etc.
Model appropriate behaviors in
front of children.
Redirect undesirable behaviors.
For example a child takes
another child toy; redirect the
child by letting the child get
another toy to play with.
Set rules and be consistent.
Discuss the rules with the
children and the consequences.

Early Childhood Development:


Why promote Self-Regulation?

Two Behavioral Strategies

Children that have problems with selfregulation skills have a hard time paying
attention and staying focus in the classroom
and cause distractions. Therefore, it is
important for teachers to establish rules and to
remind students of the consequences. When
children have difficulty with self-regulation, it
will affect them academically. When children
have difficulty with social skills, it will affect
their ability to interact and get along with
others. It is important for parents to establish
rules and reinforce the consequences for
undesirable behaviors. When both teachers
and parents discuss strategies together, they
will be able to find ways of promoting selfregulation.
Temperament is another factor in controlling
emotions. Temperament plays a role in
whether empathy it prompts sympathetic,
prosocial behavior or a personally distressed,
self-focused response (Berk, 2013, p. 417).
Children are exposed to different situations in
their environment; therefore, it is important for
adults to help children to self-regulate and to
control undesirable behaviors.

Tips for Parents


Every child is special and unique in his

or her own way and should be treated


that way.
Children learn and mimic what they see.

Model appropriate behaviors.


Discuss feelings and emotions and let

children know that their feelings matter.

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Two behavioral strategies that may help a child


struggling with self-regulation could include
modeling positive behaviors and create a cozy area
when children need time alone.
Modeling positive behaviors: when adults can
control their emotions when they are unhappy,
angry, etc. children will learn how to control their
emotions as well.
Cozy area: Area could contain books, pillows, table
and chairs and puppets. Children will have the
opportunity to act out their emotions with the
puppets and when they feel better, they could join
their friends or they could read and have quiet time
alone.

Tips for Teachers

Praise good behavior and redirect


negative behavior.
Communicate with parents. Both
parents and teachers could find
strategies to help with self-regulation.
Express to children that feelings and
emotions are real and encourage
children to express their feelings.

Reference
Berk, L. E. (2013). Child development. (9th ed.) Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson.

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