Understanding Moral Development in Children: Insights from "Children and Their Development" (Canadian Edition)

Question

Task: How does the textbook "Children and Their Development" (Canadian Edition) elucidate the development of moral understanding and behavior in children, and what strategies does it propose to navigate moral challenges?

Answer

1. When does self-control begin, and how does it change as children develop?

As per the book “Children and Their Development” during the toddler and preschool years, self-control starts to emerge, and it becomes better as kids get older and into middle childhood and adolescence. Children struggle to regulate their urges in their early years since they have little self-control. Due to the prefrontal cortex's maturity, children who are entering school show more sophisticated self-control as they learn to put off satisfaction and reject temptation in favour of long-term goals (V., Barnfield, & M.C., 2021). For example, a pre-schooler might initially find it difficult to resist being given a reward before dinner, but as they become older, they learn the value of waiting and demonstrate increased self-control by calmly waiting for dinner to enjoy the pleasure. Self-control development varies depending on the individual and is impacted by temperament, parenting methods, and cultural expectations. The nurturing and improvement of children's self-control skills throughout development depends critically on effective parenting and caring circumstances.

1. What factors influence children’s ability to maintain self-control?

Numerous things might affect a child's capacity for self-control. According to Robert V. Kail and Anne M.C. Barnfield's textbook, "Children and Their Development" (Canadian Edition), the development of self-control begins in infancy and gets better as kids move through middle childhood and adolescence (Zhang, Qiu, Li, Liu, & Zhi, 2021). Several elements that may have an impact on its development include:

• Brain Development: As youngsters become older, their capacity for self-control improves as a result of the prefrontal cortex's maturity.

• Parenting Approaches: Supportive, consistent parenting that promotes self-regulation can have a favourable effect on a child's development of self-control.

• Temperament: Some children may have a temperament that is more naturally impulsive or self-controlled, which might affect their capacity for self-control.

• Cultural Norms: Children's behaviours and self-regulation beliefs can be influenced by cultural norms and practises around self-control.

In contrast to a kid with less supportive parenting or inconsistent regulations, a 5-year-old with caring and supportive parents who regularly educate them to control their impulses is likely to demonstrate stronger self-control when confronted with the temptation to have a sugary snack before supper. A youngster from a culture that places a high value on self-control may also internalise these values and exhibit stronger self-regulation in a variety of circumstances.

2. What strategies can children use to improve their self-control?

Based on the information in the textbook "Children and Their Development" (Canadian Edition) by Robert V. Kail and Anne M.C. Barnfield, children can use a number of techniques to improve their self-control:

• Cognitive techniques: To assist them avoid impulsive actions, kids can use cognitive techniques like self-talk to remind themselves of the rules or objectives they need to follow.

• Distraction: Distracting someone's attention from temptations might help them resist giving in to it. They may withstand their current urges by focusing on something else or engaging in other activities.

• Delaying Gratification: Teaching kids to put off immediate gratification in favour of more significant long-term advantages improves their capacity for self-control.

• Role modelling: Children may learn a lot about good self-control by observing it in others, such as parents or peers.

An illustration might be a 9-year-old who wants to spend their entire allowance on a new video game but is aware that they need save some cash for a school trip the following month. They employ a cognitive method to strengthen their self-control, reminding themselves that conserving money would enable them to take part in the exciting school trip. Additionally, they divert their attention by playing the games they already own and postpone the pleasure of purchasing a new one. Additionally, kids remember how their mature elder sister handled money responsibly, serving as a good example of self-control. These techniques help the youngster control their urges and make more deliberate decisions (Schulz van Endert, 2021).

3. What situations influence children’s prosocial behaviour?

Children's prosocial behaviour includes assisting, sharing, and working with others and is impacted by modelling, empathy, and social standards. Children are inspired to emulate prosocial behaviour when they see it displayed by their parents, teachers, and classmates. Children who are empathetic and possess perspective-taking abilities are more likely to carry out charitable deeds. Prosocial behaviour is positively influenced by societal norms that value generosity and collaboration. Additionally, rewarding good deeds encourages more of them to be done (Flook, Zahn-Waxler, & Davidson, 2019).

An illustration of this is how children are inspired to help peers in the classroom when they witness their instructor applauding helpful pupils. Additionally, if the teacher emphasises the value of kindness, the student internalises this value and is eager to assist weaker classmates or share resources. By encouraging these elements, we create a nurturing and encouraging environment where prosocial behaviour blends naturally into kids' relationships.

4. What positive guidance strategies (choose 3) might you use to help diffuse aggression or aggressive behaviour. Provide examples of the 3 strategies you have chosen, how does your chosen strategy work to deescalate a situation?

As described in the literature "Robert and Anne, positive guiding techniques successfully defuse anger in children:

Empathy and active listening:To reduce hostility and make the youngster feel understood, acknowledge and name their feelings.

For instance, saying something like, "I see that you're feeling sad and left out. I see that you're being aggressive because of that. Being excluded from something you want to join may be difficult.

Teaching self-control techniques as explained in the book “Children and Their Development” can help kids better control their emotions by leading them through soothing activities like deep breathing or counting to 10.

Example: Parents may instruct a youngster who is behaving out violently after losing a game to first practise deep breathing.

Teaching kids problem-solving skills can help them resolve conflicts amicably in the future.

For instance, two kids fighting are urged to talk about their emotions, take turns, or come to an amicable settlement.

Positive counselling supports de-escalation of violent behaviour, encouraging prosocial acts and a peaceful setting by creating an empathic environment and offering helpful tools (Clark, et al., 2020).

Bibliography

Clark, H., Coll-Seck, A. M., Banerjee, A., Peterson, S., Dalglish, S. L., Ameratunga, S., et al. (2020). A future for the world's children? A WHO–UNICEF–Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 395(10224), 605-658.

Flook, L., Zahn-Waxler, C., & Davidson, R. J. (2019). Developmental differences in prosocial behavior between preschool and late elementary school. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 876.

Schulz van Endert, T. (2021). Addictive use of digital devices in young children: Associations with delay discounting, self-control and academic performance. PloS one, 16(6).

V., R., Barnfield, & M.C., A. (2021). Moral Understanding and Behaviour in your textbook Children and Their Development (Canadian Edition) (Vol. 5). Pearson .

Zhang, R., Qiu, Z., Li, Y., Liu, L., & Zhi, S. (2021). Teacher support, peer support, and externalizing problems among left-behind children in rural China: Sequential mediation by self-esteem and self-control. Children and Youth Services Review, 121. Children and Their Development