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EMOTION
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When and how do children begin to understand their own emotions?

When young child has an emotionally secure connection with their mother, they are more open

to talking about challenging emotional situations. A key component of healthy peer interactions

is emotion management. The early years are a period in which young ones experience a broader

range of mental states as they become more conscious of their sentiments, such as pride,

embarrassment, and guilt. Between the years of two and four, children learn to use additional

sentences to explain emotions and gain a better understanding of the causes and repercussions of

emotions. By the age of four or five, children are more capable of thinking logically about their

emotions and recognizing that various individuals can feel differently about the same occurrence

(Rosati, 2022). They also exhibit an increasing understanding of the necessity of controlling

emotions to adhere to social norms. When it comes to properly controlling their emotions,

adolescents of emotion-coaching parents surpass those of emotion-dismissing families.

Why is self-regulation important?

Self-regulation is the process of understanding and controlling one's actions and reactions.

Self-regulatory kids and teens are better able to learn, behave responsibly, get in addition to

others, and grow into independent adults (Self-regulation in Kids and Teenagers, 2021). The

result of emotional regulation, which starts in infancy and lasts through early childhood, is a

child's capacity to control their moods. When it comes to handling the pressures and
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disagreements that arise when kids engage with other people, emotional control is crucial. The

development of emotional control in children is often regarded as a crucial factor in the process

of social competence development (Rosati, 2022). The broader notion of self-regulation, which

encompasses executive function abilities, can be understood to include emotional regulation as a

crucial element. Remember that the higher-order cognitive performance of young children is

increasingly believed to be characterized by executive function.

Discuss some ways educators and parents can help teach self-regulation in infancy as well

as in preschool years.

The development of self-regulation abilities is essential. By establishing routines, attending to a

baby's needs consistently, and creating a supportive atmosphere, caregivers can help this during

infancy. Babies gain the ability to anticipate and control their emotions as a result. Activities that

promote self-control, such as turn-taking, cooperative games, and discussions about emotions,

can be introduced by educators and parents to preschool-aged children (Rosati, 2022). Children

can also learn to control their actions and feelings by being given options and having

progressively more responsibility. Teaching strategies that work include setting an example of

self-control and praising students for their achievements.

Describe the role family plays in emotional development.

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Early on in early childhood, parents continue to be very crucial in helping young ones learn how

to control their emotions. Early on in emotional development, cognitive features emerge in

addition to the helping and returning process of interaction that was previously addressed and

allow a kid to mirror and comprehend the emotional states of both themselves and their

caregivers. That is, a metacognitive component has emerged—a greater awareness of one's

feelings (Rosati, 2022). This developing capacity can be greatly impacted by the way parents talk

to their kids about emotions. Either an emotion-coaching or an emotion-dismissing method can

be applied to parents. Most blatantly, these approaches differ in how parents handle their child's

negative emotions (such as anger, impatience, grief, and so forth). Parents who provide their kids

with emotional coaching keep an eye on their feelings, use bad feelings as teaching moments,

help their kids identify their feelings, and provide them with practical emotional management

advice (Rosati, 2022). On the other hand, parents who disregard emotions believe that their job is

to suppress, reject, or alter unpleasant feelings. Compared to parents who ignore their emotions,

those who coach their children’s emotions do so by providing additional scaffolding and praise

and acting more lovingly.

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References

Rosati, J.W.S.K.D.J.L.J.P. A. (2022). Child Development (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781265046972

Self-regulation in children and teenagers. (2021, May 20). Raising Children Network.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/behaviour/understanding-behaviour/self-

regulation#:~:text=Self%2Dregulation%20is%20the%20ability,continues%20to

%20develop%20into%20adulthood.