COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING

MATERIALS

Sector : Health, Social and Other Community Development Services

Qualification Title: CAREGIVING NCII

Unit of Competency: Foster Social Intellectual, Creative and Emotional

Development of Children
Module Title: Fostering Social Intellectual, Creative and Emotional Development
of Children

MARY CHILES COLLEGE

667 F.T. Dalupan Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila Philippines
www.marychilescollge.edu.ph / marychilescollege@gmail.com
Tel. 711 - 4233, 735-5341 to 45

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 1

 HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

Welcome!

The unit of competency, Foster Social Intellectual, Creative and Emotional Development
of Children, is one of the competencies of CAREGIVING NC II, a course which comprises the
knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired for a TVET trainee to possess.

The module, Fostering Social Intellectual, Creative and Emotional Development of

Children, contains training materials and activities related to Foster childrens independnce
and autonomy, Encourage childen to express their feelings, ideas and needs,
Stimulate childrens awareness and creativity, Foster childrens self esteem and
development of self concept for you to complete.

In this module, you are required to go through a series of learning activities in order to complete
each learning outcome. In each learning outcome are Information Sheets, Self-Checksand
Task Sheets. Follow and perform the activities on your own. If you have questions, do not
hesitate to ask for assistance from your facilitator.

Remember to:
Work through all the information and complete the activities in each section.
Read information sheets and complete the self-check. Suggested references are
include to supplement the materials provided in this module.
Most probably, your trainer will also be your supervisor or manager. He is there to
support you and show you the correct way to do things.
You will be given plenty of opportunities to ask questions and practice on the job. Make
sure you practice your new skills during regular work shifts. This way, you will improve
your speed, memory and your confidence.
Use the Self-Checks, Operation Sheets or Task or Job Sheets at the end of each section
to test your own progress. Use the Performance Criteria Checklist or Procedural
Checklist located after the sheet to check your own performance.
When you feel confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your Trainer to
evaluate you. The results of your assessment will be recorded in your Progress Chart
and accomplishment Chart.

You need to complete this module before you can perform the next module, Fostering
Physical Development of Children.

CAREGIVING NCII
COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 2

 BASIC COMPETENCIES
List of Competencies

No. Unit of Competency Module Title Code

Provide care and support to Providing care and support

1 HCS323301
infants/toddlers to infants/toddlers
Provide care and support to Providing care and support
2 HCS323302
children to children
Fostering social,
Foster social, intellectual,
intellectual, creative and
3 creative and emotional HCS323303
emotional development of
development of children
children
Foster the physical Fostering the physical
4 HCS323304
development of children development of children
Provide care and support to Providing care and support
5 HCS323305
elderly to elderly
Provide care and support to Providing care and support
6 HCS323306
people with special needs to people with special needs
Maintain a healthy and safe Maintaining a healthy and
7 HCS323307
environment safe environment

8 Respond to emergency Responding to emergency HCS323308

Clean living room, ding Cleaning living room, ding

9 room, bedrooms, toilet and room, bedrooms, toilet and HCS323309
bathroom bathroom
Wash and iron clothes, linen Washing and iron clothes,
10 HCS323310
and fabric linen and fabric
Preparing hot and cold
11 Prepare hot and cold meals HCS323311
meals

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 3

UNIT OF COMPETENCY : FOSTER THE SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, CREATIVE AND
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

MODULE TITLE : FOSTERING THE SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, CREATIVE

AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

MODULE DESCRIPTOR : This module covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes
required to foster the social, intellectual, creative and
emotional development of children from 1-12 years old.

NOMINAL DURATION : 50 hours

QUALIFICATION LEVEL : NC II

PREREQUISITE : Providing care and support to children

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this module, the trainee/student must be able to:

LO1. Foster childrens independence and autonomy

LO2. Encourage children to express their feelings, ideas and needs

LO3. Stimulate childrens awareness and creativity

LO4. Foster childrens self esteem and development of self concept

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 4

LO1. FOSTER CHILDRENS INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

1. Opportunities developed self help skills and independence provided as needed.

2. Children given opportunities to make choice in appropriate ways taking into
consideration their individual differences
3. Children encouraged to accept responsibility for their own actions
4. Opportunities created for children to participate in decision making

CONTENT:

Psychology of children

CONDITIONS:

Students/trainees must be provided with the following:

A childcare workplace
play pen with approximate toys according to age group (cradle toys, objects to
explore by mouth, swinging toys, rattles, toys poke, squeeze and push along)
audio-visual equipment such as radio, cassette and T.V

METHODOLOGIES:

Lecture - demonstration
Self-paced instruction
Group discussion

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Hands-on
Direct observation
Practical demonstration

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 5

LO2. ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS, AWARENESS AND
CREATIVITY

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

1. Children encouraged to express their feelings, ideas and needs based on social
norm
2. Children provided with activities as means of releasing their feelings according to
their interests and needs.
3. Children encouraged to respect each others individual needs, abilities and interest

CONTENT:

Childrens developmental stages

CONDITIONS:

Students/trainees must be provided with the following:

Childcare workplace
Playpen with approximate toys according to age group (cradle toys, objects to
explore by mouth, swinging toys, rattles, toys to poke, squeeze and push along)
Art and paint materials
Activity kit
Puzzles/Books
Manuals

METHODOLOGIES:

Lecture - demonstration
Self-paced instruction
Group discussion

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Hands-on
Direct observation
Practical demonstration

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 6

LO3. STIMULATE CHILDRENS AWARENESS AND CREATIVITY

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

1. Children are encouraged to express their imagination and creativity based

developmental needs
2. Children are provided with activities that would support awareness of the range of
movements of their own body based on developmental needs.
3. Materials and experiences are provided that would stimulate their various senses
based on their interests.
4. Experiences that develop and enhance imagination and creativity are provided
based on their interests

CONTENTS:

Cultural awareness
Process for creative and artistic expression

CONDITIONS:

Students/trainees must be provided with the following:

Audio visual equipment (radio, cassette, TV)

Coloring book
Crayons, pencils, peg boards
Beads to string
Construction sets
Scissors/papers/ colors/ paints and brushes
Play dough
Activity kit
Puzzles
Books/ manuals

METHODOLOGIES:

Lecture - demonstration
Self-paced instruction
Group discussion

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Hands-on
Direct observation

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 7

 Practical Demonstration

LO4. FOSTER CHILDRENS SELF ESTEEM AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELF CONCEPT

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

1. Opportunities provided for children to experience their individual strengths and needs
2. Acknowledgement and positive support given based on child experience negative
feeling (frustration, aggression, depression, fear, and anxiety)
3. Activities that present a challenge within the childs needs and capabilities provided
based on developmental stage.
4. Individual differences acknowledged and respected based on childs development
stage
5. Childrens achievements acknowledged and appreciated based on preference
6. Childrens positive self-worth and self esteem enhanced.

CONTENTS:

Childrens needs, interests and problems

Understanding of childrens physical development

CONDITIONS:

Students/trainees must be provided with the following:

Childcare workplace
Illustrations/pictures/charts/diagrams of childs development
Manuals/Handouts

METHODOLOGIES:

Lecture - demonstration
Self-paced instruction
Group discussion

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Hands-on
Direct observation
Practical demonstration

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 8

 LO1. FOSTER CHILDRENS INDPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY
A. 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

Psychosocial Development

a. Jean Piagets Theory Cognitive Development

1) preschoolers 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

I. HEALTH PROMOTION

A. 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 hours 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. dont allow themselves to be left alone with a person they are
uncomfortable with because he/she touches them in a way they dont 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.

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 9

 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
a. General/Community
1) avoid unsafe areas, such as railroads, riverbanks, back alleys
2) teach safe firearm use; keep them in locked cabinets with bullets
separate from gun; should be taught to leave an area immediately if
agun is visible and to tell an adult
3) help child avoid all recreational drug and take prescription medicine
only as directed
4) avoid tobacco and alcohol
5) teach the child to avoid teasing or playing roughly with animals
6) instruct not to tolerate bullying in school, playground or
neighbourhood
7) teach how to call for help when in trouble or if witnessed an accident
b. Motor Vehicle Accidents
1) be certain that children know how to use seatbelts in cars; should be
worn low on the hips, the shoulder belt is used only if it doesnt cross
over the childs neck and face; be a role model in using seatbelts
2) teach street-crossing safety; stress that streets are not a place for
rough-housing, pushing, playing or shoving
3) teach bicycle safety, including use of helmet and not to take a
passenger on a bicycle
4) teach parking lot and school bus safety; do not walk in back of parked
cars; wait for crossing guard; teach traffic lights and street signs
c. Burns
1) teach safety with candles, matches, campfires (fire is not fun)
2) teach safety with beginning cooking skills; include safety in using
microwave oven, gas and electric range and oven
3) teach safety with sun exposure
4) instruct not to climb electric poles or touch electric wires
5) teach emergency response and first aid for fire, burns, heat
exhaustion/stroke
d. Falls
1) teach that rough-housing on fences and stairs, climbing on trees and
roofs is hazardous
2) teach bicycle, skateboard, scooter and skating safety
3) teach emergency response and first aid for fall, head injury, sprain
and fracture
e. Sports Injuries
1) teach that wearing appropriate equipment for sports is not babyish but
smart
2) stress not to play to a point of exhaustion or in a sport beyond
physical capability
3) use gymnastic equipment only with adult supervision to avoid serious
neck injury
f. Drowning

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 10

 1) teach or enrol for basic swimming
2) dares and rough-housing when diving or swimming are not
appropriate
3) do not swim beyond limits of capabilities

LO2. ENCOUAGE CHILDREN TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS, IDEAS AND NEEDS

A. Language Development

1. 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
2. Child needs simple answers to questions so curiosity, vocabulary building
and questioning are encouraged and also because the depth of childs
understanding is often deceptive
3. Words with double and triple meanings can be truly confounding to children
4. Four and five-year-old children continue to ask many questions; increases
vocabulary to 1,500 word at 4-years-old and 2,100 words by 5 years of age
5. They enjoy participating in mealtime conversation and can describe
something from their day in great details
6. 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
7. 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

B. Play

1. 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
2. Their imaginations are keener than they will be any other time in their lives so
they enjoy games that use imitation at this period
3. They imitate what they see from parents/caregiver, playmates, television,
environment
4. They pretend to be teachers, cowboys, firefighters, etc
5. 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
6. 4 and 5-year-olds divide their time between rough housing and imitative play
7. 5-year-old children are also interested in group games or songs with actions;
they like games with numbers or letters

C. Psychosocial Development

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 11

 1. Children at preschool period change a great deal in their ability to understand
the world and how they relate to people
2. 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
a. Jean Piagets Theory Cognitive Development
1) preschoolers 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
4) still lack the insight of putting themselves to other peoples place
because they feel they are always right and this causes them to argue
5) important point to remember when explaining procedure to a pre-
schooler is that they cannot see your side of situation
6) pre-schoolers are not yet aware of the property of conservation; they
cannot see changes in form doesnt change in amount or a procedure
done in two separate ways is the same procedure; they believe that a
certain procedure must be done in one way

b. Sigmund Freuds 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
4) childs unconscious sexual attraction to and wish to possess the
parent of the opposite sex, the hostility and desire to remove the
parent of the same sex, and the subsequent guilt for these wishes is
the conflict the child faces
5) parents must be reassured that this phenomenon of competition and
romance is normal; they may need to control feelings of jealousy and
anger
6) the conflict is resolved when the child identifies with the parent of the
same sex; emergence of the superego is the solution to and result of
these intense impulses

D. 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
2. parents/caregiver is responsible to guide a child through these struggles
without discouraging the childs right to have an opinion
3. 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

E. Common Fears of the Preschooler

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 12

 1. Fear of the Dark
a. the tendency to fear the dark is an example of a fear heightened by a
childs vivid imagination; a stuffed toy by daylight becomes a threatening
monster in the dark
b. children awaken screaming because of nightmares; may be reluctant to
go to bed or go back to sleep by themselves unless a light is left on
c. parents/caregiver must be prepared for this fear and understand it is a
phase of growth; monitor the stimuli the child is exposed to especially
around bedtime, including television, adult discussion and frightening
stories
d. parents/caregiver are sometimes reluctant to leave the lights on at night
because they dont want to cater to the fear; dim night light may solve the
problem at a lower cost
e. children who awake terrified and screaming need reassurance they are
safe, that whatever was chasing them was a dream and is not in their
room
f. they may require an understanding adult to sit on their bed until they can
fall back to sleep; pre-schoolers do not remember in the morning they had
such a dream but they remember for a lifetime they received comfort
when they need it
g. acknowledge the childs fears and anxieties; take time for communication
h. if parents/caregiver take sensible precautions against fear of the dark or
nightmares and a child continues to have this kind of disturbance every
night, it may be a reaction to undue stress and must be investigated
i. giving sleep medication to counteract the sleep disturbance does not
solve the problem and is not recommended
j. fear of the dark can become intensified in a hospital setting and requires
careful planning; encourage rooming-in or leave favourite toy with them

2. Fear of Mutilation
a. revealed by intense reaction of a pre-schooler to even a simple injury
such as falling and scraping a knee; child cries not only from the pain but
also from the sight of the injury
b. part of this fear arises because pre-schoolers do not know which body
parts are essential and which one can be easily replaced
c. boys develop a fear of castration because developmentally they are more
in tune with their body parts and are starting to identify with the same-sex
parent as they go through the Oedipal phase
d. pre-schoolers can worry that if some blood is taken out of their bodies, all
of their blood will leak out; they often lift a bandage to peek at an incision
or cut to see if their body stuff is flowing out
e. they dislike invasive procedures such as needle sticks, rectal
temperature, otoscopy or having NG tube inserted; they need good
explanation of the limits of health care procedure in order to feel safe
(tympanic thermometer does not hurt or finger prick heals quickly)

3. Fear of Separation or Abandonment

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 13

 a. intensifies because their keen imagination allows them to believe they are
being deserted
b. their sense of time and distance is still so limited that they cannot be
comforted by assurances; relating time and space to something a child
knows is most effective
c. caution parents/caregiver to be sensitive to such fears when they talk
about missing children or if they have their preschoolers fingerprints
taken for identification
d. hospital admission or going to a new school often brings a childs fear of
separation to the forefront; help prepare pre-schoolers for these
experiences so they can survive them in good mental health and alleviate
the fear

F. Behavior Variations
1. Telling Tall Tales
a. stretching stories to make them seem more interesting is a phenomenon
frequently encountered in this age group
b. if you asked a child what happened during his day at school or field trip, a
child perceives you want something exciting to have happened so they
will add some imaginative things to a simple regular story
c. this is not lying but merely supplying an expected answer
d. parents/caregiver should not encourage this kind of storytelling, but
instead help a child separate fact from fiction; this conveys the idea a
child has not told the truth but does not squash imagination or initiative

2. Imaginary Friends
a. pre-schoolers have an imaginary friend who plays with them; they may
ask to set extra plate on the dining table for their special friend or may ask
you to wait for their special friend and ask your permission if they can play
b. although imaginary friends are a normal, creative part of the preschool
years and can be invented by children who are surrounded by real
playmates as well as by those who have few friends, parents/caregiver
may find them disconcerting
c. make certain that child has exposure to real playmates; as long as
imaginary playmates dont take center stage in childs minds and prevents
them from socializing with other children, they should not pose a problem
and often leave as quickly as they come
d. it may provide an outlet for a child to express innermost feelings or serve
as a handy scapegoat for behaviour about which a child has some
conflict; childs conversation with special friend could be a helpful
information about the childs anxiety and emotion
e. help child separate fact from fantasy about their imaginary friend but
without restricting their imagination and creativity
f. do not attempt to separate the child from imaginary friend forcefully or
abruptly

G. Language Problem
1. most common problem of a school-age child is articulation

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 14

 2. child has difficulty pronouncing letters s, z, th, l, r andw
3. they substitute w for r making westroom instead of restroom; substitute r
for l making it radies room instead of ladies room
4. most noticeable during the first and second grades; usually disappears by the
third grade
5. unless it persist after third grade, speech therapy for this normal
developmental stage is not necessary at all

H. Fears and Anxieties

1. Anxiety Related to Beginning School
a. adjusting to grade school is a big task for 6-year-olds because the rules
are firmer and the elective feeling is gone
b. school is for keeps for many years, a time span difficult for a young child
to imagine; if pre-school learning was carried out through fun activities,
part of everyday in grade school involves obvious work
c. because school is an adjustment, a childs progress in school must be
carefully assessed; parents have to alter their expectations of how much
their child should be achieving to conform to their childs actual ability
d. one of the biggest task of the first grade of school is learning to read; best
if parents have prepared children for this by reading to them since infancy,
while pointing to the words and pictures as they go along; this helps
children realize sentences flow from left to right and the words tell the
story and not the picture
e. many first-graders are capable of mature action at school but appear less
mature when they return home; their pseudo-sophistication of the day is
gone; they may bite their nails, suck their thumb and baby talk; some
develop tics such as wrinkling the forehead, shrugging the shoulders,
twisting the mouth, coughing, clearing the throat or frequently blinking or
rolling the eyes; such movements may occasionally be confused with
seizure activity; tics disappear during sleep and occur mainly when the
child is subject to stress or anxiety
f. scolding, nagging, threatening or pushing does not stop either tics or nail
biting; it makes these problems worse; using bad-flavored nail polish and
restraining the childs hands to prevent nail biting are also ineffective
g. behaviours stop when the underlying stress is discovered and alleviated;
parents must spend time with a child after school or in the evening so the
child continues to feel secure in the family and doesnt feel pushed-out by
being sent to school

2. School Phobia
a. it is a fear of attending school; a type of social phobia which is a fear of
going outside
b. children who resist attending school this way may develop physical signs
of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, headache or abdominal pain on
school days and lasts until after the school bus has left or allowed to stay
home for the day
c. particular child may be reacting to a situation such as a harsh teacher,
having to shower in gym class or facing a class bully every day; in these

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 15

 instances the childs fear may be well grounded; counselling may help
manage the situation or parents can transfer child to another classroom
or be excused from a dislike situation like showering to stop resistance
d. school phobia may occur from fear of separation; child may be overly
dependent on the parents or may be reluctant to leave home because of
worry that younger siblings will usurp the parents affection; anxiety of
separation may also result from overprotective parents who is the one
having more difficulty separating
e. once it has been established the child is free of any illness and the
resistance stems from separation anxiety or phobia, the child should be
made to attend school; reinforcement by parents to go to school this way
helps to prevent problems such as school failure, peer ridicule or a
pattern of avoiding difficulties
f. parents can try to walk the child to school and stay in school until the child
is ready to stay in classroom independently and ready for the separation;
encourage the parents to be waiting outside the school ground or in front
of their homes when the child walks out of school; allow child some
independence not only in going to school but in other activities

I. THE BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME

a. Definition: abuse of children by parents or other caregivers; the abuse can be

physical, sexual, nutritional or emotional

b. 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

c. Characteristics of Abusive Parents

1. one parent often has a previous emotional problem

2. the abuse is usually done by one parent; the other parent knows about the
abuse but usually does not report it
3. abusive parents often have very high expectation of their children; if they do
not perform up to these expectations, they are punished
4. abusive parents are often substance abusers; they come from all socio-
economic levels
5. the most common characteristic of abusive parents is that often they were
abused themselves as children; however, this is not always true

d. Identifying the Battered Child

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 1. bone fractures may be seen on x-ray examination at various stages of
healing
2. child exhibits signs of physical neglect such as malnourishment, improper or
dirty clothing
3. child withdraws when approached by parents, caregiver, nurse or physician
4. parents explanation of the childs injury are inconsistent; changes from one
time to the next
5. parents emotional reaction is inconsistent with the extent of the childs injury
6. has many unexplained scars, bruises and injuries; many of these markings
are signs of abuse

7. some characteristic markings often seen in physically abused child: (A

are marks from objects and B are marks from burns)

J. Interventions for the Battered Child and Parents

1. interview the parents calmly regarding the history of the incident

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 17

 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

LO3. STIMULATE CHILDRENS AWARENESS AND CREATIVITY

A. Gender Roles
a. need exposure to an adult of the opposite gender so they can become
familiar with opposite gender roles; single mothers should let their child
spend time with adults other than themselves, such as grandparent, a
friend, an aunt or an uncle, nursery school teacher
b. because most nursery school teachers are women, a single mother may
look elsewhere to find an adult male role model; male nurse can help fill
this role if child is hospitalized
c. childrens gender-typical actions are strengthened by parents, strangers,
school teachers, family members and other children; avoid fixed role that
results to gender stereotyping

B. Socialization
a. 3-year-olds are capable of sharing so they play with other children much
more agreeably; stage of sensitive and critical time for socialization;
children exposed to other children as playmates have an easier time
learning how to relate to other people
b. although 4-year-olds continue to enjoy play groups, they may be involve
in arguments because they become more certain of their role in the
group; this is forward movement involving testing and identification of
their group role
c. 5-year-olds begin to develop best friendship; even number group plays

C. Preparing for a New Sibling

1. introduction of a new sibling need special steps for parents and they must
be certain that their pre-schooler will be prepared; no rule as to when the
preparation should begin but it should be before the time a child begins to
feel the difference the new baby will make such as before the mother
starts to look pregnant and before making physical preparation at home
2. it is always less frightening for a child to understand why things are
happening no matter how distasteful they may be, than to hear people

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 18

 whispering around or obviously evading the issue; the unknown is
something to fear whereas a definite event can be readily faced and
conquered
3. do not underestimate the significance of a bed (or a space) to a preschool
child; it serves as security, consistency and home to them; if the pre-
schooler has been sleeping in a crib or bed that is to be used for the new
baby, it is best if he/she is moved to a new bed about 3 months in
advance before birth of the new baby; always tell that the reason for the
change is because he or she is growing up rather than the new baby
needs or wants the old crib or bed because it is going to be a direct route
to sibling rivalry or jealousy
4. if the child is to start preschool or daycare, it is best to have it started 2 to
3 months before or after the new baby is born so that the child will
perceive that starting school is a result of maturity and not being pushed
out of the house by the new baby
5. mother must provide more time with pre-schooler during the day and
have activities that the child enjoys; this should start after learning of the
pregnancy; avoid making sudden or abrupt changes in daily routines with
pre-schoolers; explain the changes ahead of time and be certain that the
child understands and prepared for the expected changes; assess childs
coping
6. the pre-schooler must also be prepared in advance for the separation
when the mother needs to go to the hospital on the day of birth; when the
mother is rushed to the hospital at night while the pre-schooler is asleep,
it is unrealistic to expect a child in the morning to be happy about the
arrival of a new sibling when he/she realizes the new baby has taken
away his/her mother
7. mothers should maintain contact with their pre-schooler during the short
time they are in the hospital for child birth; some pre-schoolers may react
very coldly to their mothers even after a short time of hospitalization; they
might turn head away or refuse to go near the mother; this is a reaction to
hospitalization and not to the new baby

D. Broken Fluency
1. developing language is a complicated process that children from 2 to 6 years
of age typically have some speech difficulty that may be interpreted as
stuttering
2. child may begin to repeat words or syllables; this is called broken fluency
which is repetition and prolongation of sounds, syllables and words; it is often
referred to as secondary stuttering because a child begins to speak without
this problem and then develops it during preschool
3. unlike the adult who stutters, children are unaware that they are not being
fluent unless it is called to their attention; it is a part of normal development
and will pass; it is not an indication of regression or a chronic speech pattern;
the parent who knows a person who is a persistent stutterer or who was a
persistent stutterer as a child may react to this normal broken fluency in a
more emotional way than the problem deserves

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 19

 4. if a child becomes conscious of a disrupted speech pattern, it is less likely the
problem will correct itself; do not discuss in a childs presence the difficulty
with speech; do not label the child stutterer because the more the child will
compound the problem
5. listen with patience to what the child is saying and do not interrupt or try to fill
in a word for them; do not tell the child to speak more quickly or to start over;
talk to child in a calm simple way so the child will see that there is no need to
rush when speaking; do not reward the child for fluent speech and punish
them if not
6. do not force a child to speak if he doesnt want to; do not ask to recite or sing
for strangers; protect space for the child if there are other children around for
they might rush the child to conform to adult speech

E. Bathroom Language
1. pre-schoolers imitate the vocabularies of their parents or older children in the
family so well during this time that they include swear words into their
vocabularies
2. remind parents/caregiver that a child does not understand what the word
means; the child simply heard them just as he/she has heard hundreds of
other words and has decided to include them in his/her vocabularies and use
them
3. correction should be unemotional or any different when correcting them when
they use poor grammar or show inappropriate behavior
4. if parents/caregiver becomes emotional, a child realizes the value of such
words and may continue using them for the attention they create

F. Stealing
1. during early school-age, most children go through a period in which they steal
loose change from their mothers purse or fathers dresser; this usually
happens at around 7 years of age when children are first learning how to
make change and also discover importance of money
2. stealing occurs because a child is gaining an appreciation for money, this
appreciation is not yet balanced by strong moral principles
3. parents/caregiver should explore the reason for stealing
a. other children in the neighborhood receive an allowance and so have
money for small items
b. child makes abet that must be paid
c. buying a bullys friendship by purchasing candy or gum for that child
d. child need more security and views money as security
4. early childhood stealing is best handled without a great deal of emotion; tell
the child the money is missing; the importance of property rights should be
reviewed; mothers and fathers money are theirs and the childs money is the
childs, they are not interchangeable
5. youngsters who continue to steal past 9 years of age may require counselling
because they should have progressed beyond this normal developmental
step by this age

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 20

 6. some shoplifting occurs with early school-age children, but the major problem
with this arises during pre-adolescence; it is a public act of rebellion against
authority, a coming of age ritual; it may also happen because of peer
pressure or initiation ritual for a gang
7. shoplifting must be taken seriously by parents because it is a punishable
crime; should be confronted immediately to prevent a child who succeed
once will go for something much bigger the second time
8. child should be asked how he/she came to possess the article and should not
be allowed to use it; child should then be denied access to stores until he/she
demonstrates more responsibility
9. overall, parents must set good example if they expect their child to be honest;
if one parent takes money from the other without permission, neither should
be surprised to find their child attempting to do the same; this is also the
same when a parent change a price tag or open a package and eat it in a
supermarket without paying for them is a bad example

G. Bullying
1. frequent reason school-age children cite for feeling so unhappy that they turn
guns on classmates is that they were ridiculed or bullied to the point they
could no longer take the abuse
2. traits commonly associated with school-age bullies:
a. advanced physical size and strength for their age
b. aggressive temperament (both male and female)
c. with parents who are indifferent
d. with parents who are permissive with an aggressive child
e. with parents who typically resort to physical punishment
f. presence of a child who is a natural victim; underweight, small, anxious,
insecure, cautious, sensitive and with low self-esteem

H. Violence or Terrorism
1. children basically view their world is safe, so its a shock when violence such
as school shooting or report of international terrorist enter their lives
2. assure children they are safe; watch news program with children and explain
that the violence is isolated to another part of the world and they are out of
danger
3. do not allow children to view footage of traumatic event over and over, as this
decreases the ability to feel safe; assure parents active involvement in
keeping children safe
4. observe for signs of stress such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, lack of
pleasure in activities or signs of beginning substance abuse

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 21

LO4. FOSTER CHILDRENS SELF ESTEEM AND DEVELOPENT OF SELF CONCEPT
A. Difficulty Sharing
a. before preschool age, children engage in parallel play; 2 children need 2
toys and 2 spaces to play because they cannot pass one toy back and
forth or play together
b. sharing is a concept that first comes to be understood around age 3;
children begin to understand that some things are theirs, some belong to
others and some can belong to both
c. for the first time, they can stand in line to wait and take turns or share
d. sharing does not come easily; children who are ill or under stress have
even greater difficulty with it; parents/caregiver must be assured that
sharing is a difficult concept for a child to grasp and like most skills, child
needs practice to understand and learn it
e. parents/caregiver need to accompany experiences with sharing and
learning property rights; separate their important belongings and give
them full control over it and point out to them which belongings belongs to
others that he should not touch it and which belongings needs to be
shared with others by taking turns; defining limits and exposing children to
these three categories (mine, yours, ours) helps them determine which
objects belongs to which category

B. Regression
a. generally in relation to stress, preschool children revert to behaviour they
previously outgrew, such as thumb sucking, negativism, loss of bladder
control and inability to separate from their parents
b. usually the stress is a result of such things like new baby in the family, a
new school experience, seeing frightening and graphic television news,
stress in the home from financial or other problems, marital difficulties or
separation caused by hospitalization
c. parents/caregiver must understand that regression resulting from
aforementioned circumstances is normal; childs thumb sucking is little
different from a grown ups reaction to stress (smoking, nail biting, over
eating) to make it easier for them to accept and understand

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 22

 d. removing the stress is the best way to help a child discontinue this
behavior; most of the time the mentioned causes of stress cannot be
easily removed like new babies cant be returned, irreparable marriages
cant be patched together, frightening news happens every day and
hospitalizations do occur
e. children undergoing less severe stress must be assured that although
situations around them is changing, someone still loves them and will
continue to take care of them
f. thumb sucking or other manifestations of stress are best ignored; calling
them to a childs attention causes more stress because it will make the
child aware that he/she is not pleasing the parents/caregiver in addition to
experiencing the primary stress

C. Sibling Rivalry
a. jealousy of a brother or sister may first become evident during the
preschool period, partly because this is the first time that the children
have enough vocabulary to express how they feel (know a name to call)
b. pre-schoolers are more aware of family roles and how responsibilities at
home are divided
c. also could be a time when a new brother or sister is born; firstborn child is
rarely allowed the privileges of a second child; parents were unsure of
how far they should let a child venture or what level of responsibility a
child could accept when the child was younger
d. firstborns serves as the trial run for all children who come after; this
phenomenon can lead to sibling rivalry because children as young as
preschool can sense that a younger sibling is being allowed behaviour
that was not tolerated in them
e. to help pre-schoolers feel secure and promote self-esteem, supplying
them with a private drawer or box for their things that no one could touch
its content except him can be helpful because this can give them sense
of defending their possessions against younger siblings or children who
don not appreciate their property rights

D. Preparing a Child for School

1. parents may sometime wonder if a child is old enough for formal school
experience, especially if a childs birthday is in the late summer or middle
of the school year; parents should discuss this concerns with school
officials if the child should be registered for kindergarten or delay for
another year
2. make sure that the childs immunizations are up to date
3. prepare child emotionally with positive attitude; discuss school with the
pre-schooler as something to look forward to; if school is discussed as an
adventure that will be satisfying and rewarding, a child will view it from
early on as a positive experience
4. if school is presented as a punishment, there can be little delight in
anticipating it

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 23

 5. slowly change the childs daily routine few months in advance of
beginning school to accustom a child to waking early and going to bed
earlier
6. if a child is to ride a school bus or transportation service, parent/caregiver
should take the child for a bus ride as introduction to this form of
transportation; if a child is to walk, a trial walk will help and street safety
should be stressed
7. if a child will be required to take lunch box, introduce this new experience
by preparing bagged food at home; if a child is to purchase food at
school, playing cafeteria at home by serving self from a buffet-style and
letting a child practice selecting and transferring food to his tray is a good
preparation; practice safety walking while carrying a tray of food to table
8. practice child on how to tie shoes, name basic colors and print their name
before they begin; instill in the child the concept that learning is fun and
he/she may not always be able to do all the things other children can do,
but trying to do their individual best is whats important; trying to make a
child complete fine motor tasks for which he/she is not developmentally
prepared does not instill that concept
9. to do well in a formal school setting, the child must be able to follow
instructions and sit at a table and chair for a short work period; prepare
the child by encouraging them to put on their own jacket, pick-up their
toys, socks and shoes and to put them in its proper places; introduce
classroom setting by having a child write and color at a table rather than
on the floor
10. going to school is a form of separation and parents/caregiver can prepare
by having a child stay few hours in a day care so school can then be
compared with that event and experience

E. Sex Education
1. preschoolers become acutely aware of the difference between boys and
girls and its a normal progression in development, probably because this
may be the first time in their lives they are exposed to the genitalia of the
opposite sex as they watch while a new brother or sister has diapers
changed, see other children using the bathroom at school or see a parent
nude
2. preschoolers questions about genital organs are simple and fact-finding;
explanation should be simple and direct; use the correct proper name to
identify body parts; it is important not to convey that these body parts are
never to be talked about to leave an open line of communication for
sexual questions
3. girls may attempt to pee standing up as they seen in boys and boys may
try sitting down
4. it is common for pre-schoolers to engage in masturbation while watching
television or being read to or before they fall asleep at night; the
frequency of this may increase under stress like thumb sucking
5. if observing a child masturbate bothers parents/caregiver, explain to child
that certain things are done in some places private; children can relate to
this kind of direction without feeling inhibited, just as they can accept the

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 24

 fact that they use a bathroom in private or eat only at the table; calling
unnecessary attention to the act can increase anxiety and cause
increased activity
6. an important part of sex education for pre-schoolers is teaching them to
avoid sexual abuse, such as not allowing anyone to touch their body
unless they agree it is all right; caregiver must always ask permission
before giving care that involves touching

THE HOSPITALIZED PRESCHOOLER

A. Separation Anxiety
1. generally less obvious and less serious than in the toddler
2. as stress increases, the preschoolers ability to separate from the parents
decreases
3. Protest
a. less direct and less aggressive than in the toddler
b. may displace feelings onto others
4. Despair
a. reacts in a manner similar to the toddler
b. quietly withdrawn, depressed, uninterested in the environment
c. exhibits loss of newly learned skills
d. becomes generally uncooperative, refusing to eat or take medication
e. repeatedly asks when the parents will be visiting
5. Detachment: similar to the toddler

B. Fear of Injury and Pain

1. general lack of understanding of body integrity
2. fears invasive procedures and mutilation
3. imagines things to be much worse than they are
4. believe that they are ill because of something they did or thought

C. Loss of Control
1. likes familiar routines and rituals; may show regression if not allowed to
maintain some control
2. child has attained a good deal of independence and self-care at home and
may expect that to continue even in the hospital setting

D. 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

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 25

 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 preschoolers 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 childs care

E. Sexual and Physical Concerns

1. Changes in physical appearance that come with puberty can lead to
problems and worries for both the child and parents; school age is the time
for parents/caregiver to discuss these changes and the sexual responsibility
these changes require
2. Time to reinforce previous teaching that their body is their own and to be
used only in the way they choose and decide who looks at it or touches it
3. Puberty brings changes in sebaceous glands; under the influence of
androgen, the glands become more active and setting the stage for acne;
vasomotor instability commonly leads to blushing and increase in perspiration
4. Concerns of Girls
a. Pre-pubertal girls are usually taller by about 2 inches or more than boys
because their typical growth spurt begins earlier; this can cause concern
because boys are expected to be taller than girls of the same age
b. Change in pelvic contour and becomes broader; may be interpreted as
weight gain and attempt a crash diet; reassure that broad bone structure
of the hips is part of female profile
c. Girls are usually conscious of breast development; if starts to develop
ahead of her peers, she may slouch or wear loose clothing; some girls
may wonder if their breast are going to develop enough; breast
development is not always symmetrical; normal to have slightly different
breast size; may think that the bigger breast has tumor
d. Early preparation for menstruation is important for the girls concept of
herself as a woman; a girl who is told that menstruation is normal function
that occurs every month in all healthy women has different attitude toward
her body than a girl who wakes up one morning to find blood on her
pajamas and told to get used to it and learn to deal with it; how can a girl
accept and enjoy growing up if it involves something so unpredictable
e. Most girls have some menstrual irregularity during the first year or two
after menarche; this occurs primarily because girls cycles are anovulatory
at first; cycles become more regular with maturity and onset of ovulation;
girls may fear irregularity as hormone imbalance or worry about her future

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 26

 ability to conceive or a sign of pregnancy; malnourishment, obesity and
emotion can add to the problem of irregular menstrual flow
f. Girls must know when their period will occur so they will learn to trust their
bodies; they may want to plan their activities during periods to avoid
accidents
g. In addition to explanation for the reason for menstrual flow, girls also need
explanation of good hygiene and reassurance they can bathe, shower
and swim during their periods; they can use either sanitary napkins or
tampons
h. Girls also need to know that vaginal secretions will begin to be present; a
girl may fear that she has contracted an infection; explain that secretions
that cause vulvar irritation suggest infection and must be evaluated in a
clinic

5. Concerns of Boys
a. Boys are aware of increasing genital size; if they dont know testicular
development precedes penis growth, they can worry that their growth is
inadequate; men tend to measure their manliness by penis size, so a boy
who develops late may feel inferior
b. Hypertrophy of breast tissue (gynecomastia) can occur in pre-puberty,
most often in stocky or heavy boys; may be concerned a breast tumor is
present or be embarrassed about growing breast; although it makes him
self-conscious, he can be assure that this is normal and will fade as soon
as his male hormones become more mature and active
c. Some boys also become concerned because although they have pubis
hair, they cannot grow beard yet or dont have chest hair, which are
outward recognizable sign of maturity; assure boys that pubic hair
normally appears first and that chest and facial hair may not grow until
several years later
d. As seminal fluid is produced, boys begin to notice ejaculation during
sleep, termed nocturnal emissions; boys may believe an old myth that
loss of seminal fluid debilitating; may have heard the term premature
ejaculation and worry that this is a warning sign of a problem in years to
come; both are fallacies

F. Home Schooling
1. because of religious or personal preference or because of disillusionment
with the school system, some children are home schooled today
2. with their less extensive experience with peers than other children, they may
not be as comfortable with peer interaction
3. their main contact has been with parents at home, so their vocabulary may be
advanced or can suggest they are older than their real age; they may be
experts at computer searching
4. assess if child have peer experience, perhaps through participation in
community sports teams; ask if child received exposure to other cultures or
families so the child can better adjust to people different from him/her at
college or a first work position

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 27

 G. Latchkey Children
1. they are school-age children who are without adult supervision for part of
each weekday; the term alludes to the fact they generally carry a key so they
can let themselves into their homes after school; become a prominent
concern because in many families today, both parents work at least part-time
outside the home
2. few parents have flexible work hours so they can always be home when a
child leaves for or returns from home; extended family members who once
watched children after school are often working as well or may no longer be
close at hand; many communities are no longer close-knit enough to have
neighbors who can be depended on to help out with informal childcare
3. major concern is that children will develop an increased tendency to
accidents, delinquent behaviour, begin drug or alcohol abuse or decreased
school performance from lack of adult supervision
4. child who is extremely fearful or impulsive or who finds problem solving
difficult, time alone after school may not be appropriate; some communities
offer special after-school programs so children do not have to be home alone
5. on the other hand, children who feel safe in their community, a short period of
independence every day may actually be beneficial; it encourages problem
solving in self-care; school-based organization like Boy or Girl Scouts offer
programs to help children adjust to being home alone
6. Safety Teaching for Latchkey Children
a. always lock doors and never show keys to others or indicate that you stay
home alone
b. when answering the telephone, say the parent is busy, not absent from
home
c. have a plan in event you lose your key (such as stay with a neighbor)
d. dont go into the house if the door is open or a window is broken
e. learn fire safety; practice a fire drill from all rooms of the house
f. check in with parents by telephone when you first arrive home from
school
g. identify a caller before opening the door; agree on a secret code word;
you should not open the door or go with a person unless the person
knows the word
h. learn how to change light bulbs safely if it will be dark before parents
return home
i. learn how to report a fire and telephone police; practice this with parents
7. Safety Responsibilities for Parents of Latchkey Children
a. prepare a safety kit and keep it filled; include a flashlight in case of a
power failure so children do not need to light candles to prevent fire
b. plan after-school snacks that do not require cooking to prevent burns
c. keep firearms locked, with the key in a place unknown to child
d. keep a list of emergency telephone numbers including parents work
number by the phone
e. arrange with a neighbor who is usually home during late afternoon for
child to stay there in case of an emergency

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 28

 f. if an older child will be watching a younger one, be certain both children
understand the rules laid down and degree of responsibility expected
g. be certain child understands that rules that apply during other times also
apply during independent time
8. Parental Actions to Prevent Loneliness of Latchkey Children
a. be certain to make additional time available after work so children can
describe their day
b. help children each morning to plan an activity for that day so they have
something purposeful to look forward to during time alone
c. allow special privileges such as listening to music that other members of
the family do not like as well; allow extra television hours during this time
d. consider a pet; even acaged animal such as a hamster or a bird, offers
companionship in a quiet house
e. call children if there will be a delay in arriving home; unexpected time
alone is frightening
f. leave messages on the refrigerator or in the bathroom or leave a
message in the answering machine just to say hi; make sure its not full
of tasks to do
g. encourage children to read; fictional characters serves as friends as well
as help to pass time
h. urge children to network with other latchkey children as to how they use
time effectively; talking on the telephone or e-mailing another child
reduces loneliness for both
9. Parental Actions to Increase Socialization of Latchkey Children
a. help children plan after-school activities like joining science club for one
afternoon a week
b. explore sports programs at school or in the community, as these are often
done after school
c. explore child care programs at school where child attends, a public library
or a church
d. network with other parents or ask for flex time so child supervision can be
alternated after school
e. be sure children have opportunities to socialize with friends on weekends
or on days when either parent is home

SMJG CAREGIVING NCII 29