Respond to emotional needs
Routines
When considering the emotional needs of children we need to consider the importance of routines. Children take comfort in knowing what will happen next in their day, therefore we should inform and prepare children for any changes in the routine.
How do you think you would feel if you had no control over what you have to do next in your day, and maybe even no warning?
Children can often feel powerless in the schedule of their day. Having a consistent routine allows them to feel some control and comfort in knowing what will happen next and what is expected of them. Routines give children a stable and predictable environment and should be designed with their needs in mind.
Imagine if a friend calls you up and asks you if you want to go shopping to buy some new clothes.
You agree and start to look forward to it. In your mind you begin to prepare yourself for what you'll buy. When your friend arrives to pick you up she drives in the opposition direction to the shops. When you ask her where she's going she says matter of factly, 'Oh, I changed my mind, we're going bowling instead.'
How would you feel at that moment? Write down your thoughts in your notebook.
Think about this scenario in the context of preparing children for a change of plans or routine. In your notebook, write down 3 things you could do to make such a change easier for a 3-5 year old.
It is important to develop routines that are appropriate to the child’s developmental stage. For example, babies have different needs and abilities than the children in the kindy (3-5years) room, so the routine for babies should reflect this.
Caregiving strategies
When caring for children we should be tuned in to their feelings and respond to them in a way that meets their needs. We should identify and respond to children’s feelings openly, appropriately and with respect. Children can communicate their feelings in many ways.
Read through the following 5 resources. Write a short summary in your own words in your notebook for each of them.
How a child expresses feelings
Comfort children and deal with emotional outbursts
As children progress through the various ages their emotional characteristics will invariably change. It's not uncommon for toddlers to express unrestrained outbursts of joy, laughter, anger, fear and frustration, and these outbursts are often a child’s way of asserting and expressing themselves when they are interrupted or interfered with. By fostering the child’s need for independence, we can help them to move through this developmental stage positively and without feelings of shame or embarrassment.
Often just by engaging in calm interactions and by being nearby for support, we can help to resolve the situation or prevent it from escalating to begin with. When a child is experiencing an outburst of emotion, we need to offer our support and reassurance but also must consider the safety of other children in the environment.
Children may experience distress from a variety of sources. They could have been hurt, such as falling down and grazing their knee, or perhaps they've had an altercation with a friend. Distress may also come from fears and anxieties.
It is not uncommon for children to become distressed by the sight of a stranger or a loud noise, and other children may be troubled by a scary movie or the sight of a spider.
Whatever the reason for the fear and/or distress, all children need understanding and comfort, support and patience from caregivers to help them overcome fears and stressors which are often outgrown without any direct intervention from caregivers.
