Social Emotional Development

As early as birth, a child instantly develops a special attachment with their primary caregiver. A child’s earliest bond is with their parents and that connection lasts a lifetime. The primary caregivers also play an enormous role in the social and emotional development of the child which assists the child in maturing both socially and emotionally. In this assignment I will firstly discuss how parenting impacts the attachment a child makes both socially and emotionally with their family. Secondly, I will outline how parenting effects the attachment a child makes when brought into a crèche or playschool environment and how they develop and cope both socially and emotionally in this setting. Lastly, I will examine how parenting impacts the attachment

They are placed in a new environment and every child reacts differently, but these reactions depend on different parenting styles and techniques. Some children attach easily with the crèche and school environment whereas other children find it extremely difficult to cope without being by their parents sides, and feel very emotional being absent from their primary caregivers. Infants who are placed in a crèche for a number of hours a week from an early age tend to adapt better when starting playschool as they are used to spending time in another environment without their parents caring for them. These children are more socially and emotionally prepared to cope without their primary caregivers and are more independent from a young age. On the other hand, parents who rarely leave their children with people who the child isn’t familiar with tend to show low social interactions and are far more emotionally unstable. These children tend to react badly when left with a strange person or when starting playschool, and they don’t cope well with the new environment at first and also it takes them a little longer to get used to the new surroundings and new faces. Another phycologist, Lev Vygotsky, outlines his theory of child development, that “children learn actively and through hands-on experiences” [Vygotsky, 1962] I totally agree and relate to this theory as

Parenting effects the way in which a child reacts socially and emotionally when meeting new people and making friendships. Parents, who introduce their children to other children of the same and similar ages early in their lives, tend to have children who are good socialisers and mingle well with others. If a child forms a friendship with another child before they start playschool, they become more comfortable in this environment, recognising familiar faces. Children enjoy spending time with others of a similar age and thrive on being able to have the same capabilities and abilities of these friends and peers. [Parke and Locke, 2002] Friends and peers also have a big influence on children. They observe each other and learn from each other. Each child differs in social and emotional development also. Children who go to crèches are more capable of making friends and feel more comfortable playing with other children. Also introducing play dates at an early age is very effective as children become used to other children and it is a very beneficial way of introducing children to friends and peers. A child who is not introduced to other children from an early age find it difficult to make a natural bond with new kids and find it harder to settle in when faced with trying to make friends in playschool, and