Republic of the Philippines

CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Module in Ed 101

The Child
and

Adolescent Learners

And
Learning Principles

Dr. Eimee D. Potato

Course Facilitator

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP)
Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Module 6: Early Childhood (Preschooler)

Overview:
The preschooler years is commonly known as “the years before formal schooling
begins. It roughly covers 3-5 years of age. Although it is known as the years before formal
school, it is by no way less important than the grade school years. The preschool years are
very important as it lays foundation to later development. At this stage, preschoolers
achieve many developmental milestones. As such, pre-service teachers who might be
interested to teach and care for preschoolers need to be knowledgeable about them to be
truly an intentional and effective teacher.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Describe the physical and cognitive development that takes place among
preschoolers.
2. Identify the physical skills that Filipino preschoolers can do.
3. Apply concepts on preschoolers’ cognitive development in pre-school teaching and
in child care.
4. Explain Erikson’s “crisis” of early childhood, initiative versus guilt.
5. Explain the development of preschoolers’ sense of self and self-esteem.
6. Discuss how children develop gender identity.
Describe the stages of play and how it impacts socio-emotional development.

Discussion:

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOLERS

During the preschool years, there is a steady increase in children’s height, weight,
and muscle tone. Compared with toddlers, preschoolers are longer and leaner. Their legs
and trunks continue to grow, and their heads are not so large in proportion to their bodies.
As preschoolers’ bodies develop over time, the areas in their brains that control
movement continue to mature, thus enabling them to perform gross-motor skills such as
running, jumping, throwing, climbing, kicking, skipping, and fine-motor skills such as
stringing beads, drawing, and cutting with scissors.

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Significant Changes on Physical Growth

Physical growth increases in the preschool years, although it is much slower' in

pace than in infancy and toddlerhood. At around 3 years of age, preschoolers move, from
the remaining baby-like features of the toddler, toward a more slender appearance of a
child. The trunk, arms and legs become longer.
The center of gravity refers to the point at which body-Weight is evenly
distributed. Toddlers have their center of gravity at a high level, about the chest level. This
is why they have difficulty doing sudden movements without failing down. Preschoolers
on the other hand, have their center of gravity at a lower level, right about near the belly
button. This gives them more ability to be stable and balanced than the toddler. The
preschooler moves from the unsteady stance of toddlerhood to a more steady bearing.
They no longer “toddle,” that wobbly way that toddlers walk. This also allows the
preschooler to move more “successfully” than the toddler. Some say that the later part of
the preschooler years at around 5 or 6 is the best time to begin learning skills that require
balance like riding a bike or skating.
By the time the child reaches three years old, all primary or deciduous, or what are
also called “baby or milk” teeth are already in place. The permanent teeth which will
begin to come out by age six are also developing. The preschooler years are therefore a
time to instill habits of good dental hygiene.

Gross and Fine Motor Development

Gross motor development refers to acquiring skills that involve the large muscles.
These gross motor skills are categorized into three: locomotor, non-locomotor and
manipulative skills. Locomotor skills are those that involve going from one place to

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

another, like walking, running, climbing,

skipping, hopping, creeping, galloping, and
dodging. Non-locomotor ones are those
where the child stays in place, like bending,
stretching, turning and swaying.
Manipulative skills are those that involve
projecting and receiving objects, like
throwing, striking, bouncing, catching and
dribbling.

Preschoolers are generally physically

active. Level of activity is highest around three and becomes a little less as the preschooler
gets older. Preschoolers should be provided with a variety of appropriate activities which
will allow them to use their large muscles. Regular physical activity helps preschoolers
build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints, control weight and build lean
muscles, prevent or delay hypertension, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety and
increase capacity for learning.
Fine motor development refers to acquiring the ability to use the smaller muscles
in the am, hands and fingers purposefully. Some of the skills included here are picking,
squeezing, pounding, and opening things, holding and using a writing implement. It also
involves self-help skills like using the spoon and fork when eating, buttoning, zipping,
combing and brushing.
Different environments provide different experiences with fine motor skills. For
example, the availability of information and communications technology in largely urban
areas makes younger and younger children proficient in keyboarding and manipulation of
the mouse and the use of smart phones and tablets. While other children use their fine
motor skills in digging in soil, making toys out of sticks, cans and bottle caps.
By the end of the preschool years most children manage to hold a pencil with their
thumb and fingers, draw pictures, write letters, use scissors, do stringing and threading
activities. They can also do self-help skills like eating and dressing up independently.
Significant progress in line motor skills can be expected of preschoolers especially if they
are aptly supported and appropriate activities are provided for them.
Handedness, or the preference of the use of one hand over the other; is usually
established around 4 years of age. Earlier than this, preschoolers can be observed to do
tasks using their hands interchangeably. We can observe a preschooler shifting the crayon
from left to right and back again while working on a coloring activity.

Preschooler’s Artistic Development

At the heart of the preschooler years is their interest to draw and make other forms
of artistic expressions. This form of fine motor activity is relevant to preschoolers. Viktor
Lowenfeld studied this and came up with the stages of drawing in early childhood:

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
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 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Stage 1. Scribbling stage. This stage begins with large zig-zag lines which later become
circular markings. Soon, discrete shapes are drawn. The child may start to name his/her
drawing towards the end of this stage.

Stage 2. Preschematic stage. May already include early representations (This also
becomes very significant when we discuss about cognitive development). At this point
adults may be able to recognize the drawings. Children at this stage tend to give the same
names to their drawings several times. Drawings usually comprise of a prominent head
with basic elements. Later, arms, legs, hands and even facial features are included

Stage 3. Schematic stage. More elaborate scenes are depicted. Children usually draw
from experience and exposure. Drawings may include houses, trees, the sun and sky and
people. Initially, they may appear floating in air but eventually drawings appear to follow
a ground line.

Everyone who observes a

preschooler go through these stages of
drawing would surely say one thing: that
the preschooler drew the same
drawing maybe a hundred times.
Repetition is the hallmark of early
drawing. One wonders if the supply of
scratch papers, crayons and pens will
ever be enough. Adults should
remember to have a neat supply of these
or they will find the preschoolers’ drawings on the furniture and walls. This affords the
preschooler opportunities to gain mastery of the fine motor skills involved.
Also, important to remember is that the preschoolers’ representations or drawings
does not only involve fine motor skills, but also cognitive skills. Children’s drawings
allow us to have a glimpse of how they understand themselves and the world around them.

Preschooler’s Nutrition and Sleep

The kind of nutrition a preschooler gets has far-reaching effect on his physical
growth and development. The preschooler’s nutritional status is the result of what
nutrients he or she actually takes in checked against the nutritional requirement for his/her
age. Obviously, having too much or too little both has their negative effects. Here in our
country, we can see the extreme of preschoolers not having enough food and those on the
other end of the extreme where we find preschoolers who are not just over weight but
obese.

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

It is important for preschoolers to get sufficient amount of rest and sleep.

Preschoolers benefit from about 10-12 hours of sleep each day. It is when they are asleep
that vital biological processes that affect physical and cognitive development take place.
During sleep, especially in the dream state (rapid eye movement stage), growth hormones
are released. Blood supply to the muscles are likewise increased helping preschoolers
regain energy. At this state while dreaming, increased brain activity is also attained.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOLERS

The preschool period is a time of rapid growth along a number of developmental

measures, not the least of which is children’s thinking abilities, or cognition. Across this
time period, children learn to use symbolic thought, the hallmarks of which are language
and symbol use, along with more advanced pretend play. Children this age show centration
of thought, meaning their focus is limited to one aspect of a situation or object. Memory
abilities come online and children show their own ways of categorizing, reasoning, and
problem solving.

Brain Connections in the Preschool Years

The child’s billion cells have the ability to make almost countless connections that
prepare the child for intricate pathways to learn language, acquire logicalmathematical
skills, interact with people, grow in his feelings and emotions, and even express himself in
art. As such, a preschool teacher would often observe how a child now has transformed
from 'a dependent toddler into a proud and independent preschooler who can now eat more
neatly, enjoy “reading” a book, tell his own stories among friends, build beautiful block
structures and wear his jacket all by himself.
Brain research has also pointed out the crucial role of the environment. Experts
have shown specific areas of brain activity that respond to environmental stimulation.
Therefore, the brain forms specific connections (synapses) that are different for each
person. The quality of these connections depends on the quality of stimulation and

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

exposure provided by the environment. In the preschool years, a supportive and

stimulating environment is that which offers many experiences involving the different
senses (multisensorial), and that which allows the child to think, imagine and create is
best. This environment can be provided for by a good combination of a healthy and
functional family environment and a quality preschool program.

Language Development

Young children’s understanding sometimes gets ahead of their speech. As children

go through early childhood, their grasp of the rules of language increases (morphology,
semantics, pragmatics).
Symbolic thinking involves language, literacy and dramatic play. Children rapidly
conclude that sounds link together to make words and words represent ideas; people, and
things. Throughout the preschool years, children’s language development becomes
increasingly complex in the four main areas: phonology (speech sounds), semantics
(word meaning), syntax (sentence construction), and pragmatics (conversation or
social uses of language). As they advance in age and as they continuously interact with
people, preschool children expand rapidly in their vocabulary through fast mapping, a
process by which children absorb (the meaning of a new word after hearing it once or
twice in conversation. Preschool children combine syllables into words and words into
sentences in an increasingly sophisticated manner.
It is not uncommon to hear preschool children using “goed” for “went,” “foots” for
“feet,” “childs” for “children,” “runned” for “ran” an overextension of the rules. A
three-year old laughing with delight as an abrupt summer breeze stirred his hair and
tickled his skin, commented, “It did winding me!” Another child said, “My father hatches
the wood,” meaning his father chops the wood with a hatchet. Many of the oddities of
young children’s language sound like mistakes to adult listeners, but from the children’s
perspective, they are not.
Parents, teachers, and caregivers can monitor a child’s language development in
these four areas to identify where some children may struggle. Children with mild to
severe speech difficulties can be referred to a specially trained professional called a speech
pathologist in order to work with the child or suggest helpful strategies for caregivers to
improve language proficiency.

Language and Social Interaction

Preschoolers are firmly in the stage Piaget

called the preoperational (pre-logical) period

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
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 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

(from 2-7). Notably, they are not able to reverse actions (e.g., understand that if 3+3=6,
then 6-3=3, or worrying that if they break a bone, it cannot be fixed). In addition, they are
unable to conserve (to recognize that objects that change in form do not change in
amount).

In his famous penny conservation experiment, Piaget demonstrated that until about
the age of 6, children would say that the spread out row of pennies had more than the row
with the (equal number) of more squished together pennies, even if they themselves
counted each row. Piaget explains this contradiction by stating that children’s logic in this
time period is ruled by perceptions as opposed to reasoning.

The idea of perceptually-based centration expands beyond conservation to the

preschoolers’ larger world view. In general, children this age are egocentric; they cannot
spontaneously and independently vary from their own perspective. For example, children
may say that grass grows so that they do not get hurt when they fall or because they like
chocolate, everyone must. As an extension, they believe that everyone shares the same
viewpoint as them, so of course they should get the cookies if they think that, everybody
does. As a component of egocentric thought, preschoolers show animism, the belief that
nature and objects are alive with human-like characteristics (e.g., when the child says that
the ground made them fall). The ability to decenter is one of the hallmarks of the
completion of the preoperational stage.

On the other hand, Vygotsky

believed that young children use
language both to communicate socially
and to plan, guide, and monitor their
behavior in a self-regulatory fashion
called inner speech or private speech.
Vygotsky asserted that preschool
children are unable to achieve “their
highest cognitive development
(language development included) on
their own and that they can improve
their cognitive development through use
of scaffolding from more-skilled
children and adults. He introduced the
term Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to refer to tasks too difficult for-a child 'to
master alone but can be mastered with the guidance and assistance of adults or more
skilled children. In short, the ZPD captures the preschool childrens’ cognitive skills that
are in the process of maturing. The ZPD has a lower limit and an upper limit. The lower
limit of the ZPD is “the level of cognitive development reached by the preschool child

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

independently. The upper limit is the level of additional responsibility the child can
accept with assistance of an able instructor.”

Information Processing Theory-Attention and Memory

The Information
Processing model is
another way of
examining and
understanding how
children develop
cognitively. This
model conceptualizes
children’s mental
processes through the
metaphor of a
computer processing,
encoding, storing,
and decoding data.

By ages 2 to 5 years, most children have developed

the skills to focus attention for extended periods,
recognize previously encountered information, recall
old information, and reconstruct it in the present. For
example, a 4-year-old can remember what she did
at Christmas and tell her friend about it when she
returns to preschool after the holiday. Between the
ages of 2 and 5, long-term memory also begins to
form, which is why most people cannot remember
anything in their childhood prior to age 2 or 3.
Part of long-term memory involves storing
information about the sequence of events during
familiar situations as "scripts". Scripts help children
understand, interpret, and predict what will happen in
future scenarios. For example, children understand
that a visit to the grocery store involves a specific
sequences of steps: Dad walks into the store, gets a
grocery cart, selects items from the shelves, waits in the check-out line, pays for the
groceries, and then loads them into the car. Children ages 2 through 5 also start to

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

recognize that are often multiple ways to solve a problem and can brainstorm different
(though sometimes primitive) solutions.
Between the ages of 5 and 7, children learn how to focus and use their cognitive
abilities for specific purposes. For example, children can learn to pay attention to and
memorize lists of words or facts. This skill is obviously crucial for children starting school
who need to learn new information, retain it and produce it for tests and other academic
activities. Children this age have also developed a larger overall capacity to process
information. This expanding information processing capacity allows young children to
make connections between old and new information. For example, children can use their
knowledge of the alphabet and letter sounds (phonics) to start sounding out and reading
words. During this age, children's knowledge base also continues to grow and become
better organized.
Metacognition, "the ability to think about thinking", is another important
cognitive skill that develops during early childhood. Between ages 2 and 5 years, young
children realize that they use their brains to think. However, their understanding of how a
brain works is rather simplistic; a brain is a simply a container (much like a toy box)
where thoughts and memories are stored. By ages 5 to 7 years, children realize they can
actively control their brains, and influence their ability to process and to accomplish
mental tasks. As a result, school-age children start to develop and choose specific
strategies for approaching a given learning task, monitor their comprehension of
information, and evaluate their progress toward completing a learning task. For example,
first graders learn to use a number line (or counting on their fingers) when they realize that
they forgot the answer to an addition or subtraction problem. Similarly, children who are
learning to read can start to identify words (i.e., "sight words") that cannot be sounded out
using phonics (e.g, connecting sounds with letters), and must be memorized.

SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOLERS

Socio emotional development is crucial in the preschool years. We hear a lot of

parents and teachers and preschool administrators say that attending preschool is more for
“socialization” than for formal academic learning. There is wisdom in this. During the
preschool years, children learn about their ever-widening environment. Preschoolers how
discover their new roles outside their home. They become interested to assert themselves
as they relate with other people. A lot of very important social skills they will learn during
the preschool years will help them throughout life as adults. These skills can even
determine the individual’s later social adjustment and consequent quality of relationships
in adult life.

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
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 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

During early childhood, children typically start to develop self-conscious emotions

as they start evaluating themselves, instead of purely reacting to caregivers' or other adults'
evaluations. For instance, an older baby or a younger toddler may be perfectly happy
covering himself or herself from head to foot with mud from the backyard, and won't
experience a negative emotion until caregivers express their displeasure at the messy
situation. Children in the early childhood stage may still enjoy playing in the muddy yard,
but as soon as they see Mom coming, shame and/or guilt may emerge as a result of
evaluating their appearance. A child may also experience a sense of pride when Daddy
says, "That's a great drawing."

According to Erikson's developmental theory, children who start to evaluate

themselves have entered the stage of "autonomy versus shame and doubt." At the end of
this stage, young children's self-evaluations are either autonomous and positive, or
negative and ashamed. Young children who feel autonomous see themselves as good,
valuable people who are able to do what is expected of them in a positive way. In contrast,
young children who feel ashamed also feel worthless and incapable of doing what is
expected of them.
As children become
increasingly self-aware, more
effective at communicating,
and better at understanding the
thoughts and feelings of
others, their social skills
increase. Children in the early
childhood stage become
skilled at modifying and
expressing their emotions to fit

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
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Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
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different social situations. For example, Billy may feel angry, but he knows that having a
tantrum at school is inappropriate. Similarly, Sally learns that acting pleasant and happy
even if she feels shy and scared is a better way to meet people at a birthday party when she
doesn't know many of the other children. Changing or controlling one's emotions in social
situations is an important skill that allows children to fit in with groups and start to create
interpersonal relationships.

Identity and Self-Esteem of Preschoolers

During early childhood, children start to develop a "self-concept," the attributes,

abilities, attitudes and values that they believe define them. By age 3, (between 18 and 30
months), children have developed their Categorical Self, which is concrete way of viewing
themselves in "this or that" labels. For example, young children label themselves in terms
of age "child or adult", gender "boy or girl", physical characteristics "short or tall", and
value, "good or bad." The labels are used to explain children's self-concept in very
concrete, observable terms.
For example, Seth may describe himself this way: "I'm 4. I have blue eyes. I'm
shorter than Mommy. I can help Grandma set the table!" When asked, young children can
also describe their self-concept in simple emotional and attitude descriptions. Seth may go
on to say, "Today, I'm happy. I like to play with Amy." However, preschoolers typically do
not link their separate self-descriptions into an integrated self-portrait. In addition, many
3-5 year olds are not aware that a person can have opposing characteristics. For example,
they don't yet recognize that a person can be both "good" and "bad".
As long-term memory develops, children also gain the Remembered Self. The
Remembered Self incorporates memories (and information recounted by adults about
personal events) that become part of an individual's life story (sometimes referred to as
autobiographical memory). In addition, young children develop an Inner Self, private
thoughts, feelings, and desires that nobody else knows about unless a child chooses to
share this information.

Caregiving Styles for Preschoolers

There are four main styles of parenting that caregivers tend to use with their
children: authoritarian, permissive, authoritative, and neglectful/uninvolved.
Sometimes, caregivers purposefully choose to use one particular form of parenting. Other
times, caregivers who were raised with a specific parenting style offer the same one to
their own children because it seems familiar and/or comfortable.
In authoritarian parenting, caregivers create expectations and rules, and children
are expected to understand and to follow those rules absolutely. According to authoritarian
parents, "What I say, goes!" Often, this parenting style uses physical or corporal (e.g.,
body) punishments such as spankings, to remind children of the rules they must follow

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Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
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 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

and to prevent them from breaking the rules in the future. Such parents provide children
very strict limits and not much freedom.
Permissive caregivers have loose expectations and rules for their children,
sometimes in the hopes of creating free-thinkers or children who feel comfortable
approaching their caregivers as friends and confidants. A permissive parenting style is also
used when parents do not have the physical or emotional ability or energy to enforce the
rules consistently. Often, discipline is lax, and children are given lots of freedom with
limited boundaries.
Authoritative parenting combines positive aspects of two previously mentioned
styles. Authoritative caregivers provide children some freedom within appropriate
boundaries. Caregivers teach their children about family and societal expectations and
rules. Rules are consistently reinforced through discipline practices that connect children's
good and bad decisions with consequences and accomplishments. In this parenting style,
children understand that parents make the rules and guide the house, but children also
begin to understand how to anticipate and judge the consequences of their actions. This
skill is important as children leave home and become adults.
The neglectful parent, sometimes referred to as uninvolved parenting, this style is
exemplified by an overall sense of indifference. Neglectful parents have limited
engagement with their children and rarely implement rules. They can also be seen as cold
and uncaring — but not always intentionally, as they are often struggling with their own
issues
Research suggests that authoritative parents are more likely to raise independent,
self-reliant and socially competent kids. While children of authoritative parents are not immune to
mental health issues, relationship difficulties, substance abuse, poor self-regulation or low
self-esteem, these traits are more commonly seen in children of parents who strictly employ
authoritarian, permissive or uninvolved parenting styles. Of course, when it comes to parenting,
there is no “one size fits all.” You don’t need to subscribe to just one type, as there may be times
when you have to use a varied parenting approach — but in moderation.
The most successful parents know when to change their style, depending on the situation.
An authoritative parent, for example, may want to become more permissive when a child is ill, by
continuing to provide warmth and letting go of some control (e.g. “Sure, you can have some ice
cream for lunch and dinner.”). And a permissive parent may be more strict if a child’s safety is at
stake, like when crossing a busy street (e.g. “You’re going to hold my hand whether you like it or
not.”).
At the end of the day, use your best judgment and remember that the parenting style that
works best for your family at that time is the one you should use.

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP)
Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP)
Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Gender Identity and Sexuality in Pre-Schoolers

As the preschooler’s ability to create schemas develop, they become capable of

gender typing, the process of forming gender roles, gender-based preferences and
behaviors accepted by society. They come to form gender stereotypes. Preschoolers begin
to associate certain things like toys tools, games, clothes, jobs, colors or even actions or
behaviors as being “only for boys” or “only for girls.” Consequently, they form their own
gender identity, the view of oneself as being masculine or feminine.

Multiple environmental factors, such as a child's family, teachers, peers, and the
media, also influence gender-based beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Parents and family
members are typically the source of "gender-appropriate" toys. Girls are given pastel
colors, princesses, stuffed animals, dolls, and so on. In contrast, boys are given trucks,
tractors, etc. Caregivers, family members, and teachers also tend to consciously or
unconsciously reinforce gender-stereotyped behaviors. So, a caregiver might react more
positively when a young boy plays with cars or trucks, or "roughhouses" with other
children. Similarly, caregivers are more likely to talk to young girls about their emotions,
and offer them help or direction during daily activities.

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP)
Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No. (036) 6214-578 Fax No. (036) 6214-578
website: www.capsu.edu.ph email address:
[email protected]

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP)
Member: Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)