What It Takes To Parent
Preschool Children

My toddler just turned 4 and honestly he is acting differently. The terrible twos are nothing compared to the 4's! I decided that I needed to parent differently. This will be his 3rd year in preschool and I realized that children have different needs. These children are starting to show personality traits and more intellectual development.

Behavioral Characteristics and Challenges of Preschool Children:

• Egotism. A preschooler is the center of the world. Your child believes that everything in the world revolves around her.
• Independence. A preschooler will want to dress by himself and want to help you with the household chores. Be patient as your child practices these skills.
• Creativity. Imaginations are constantly "on." Your child's world is full of magical things at this time.
• Asking the question "Why?" Preschoolers are trying to learn all about their environments; they will ask "why" constantly! Take the time to help your child learn about what causes the events happening around him.
• Sociality. Preschoolers are learning to be a good companion or friend to other children their age. Preschool, day care, play dates or playgroups provide wonderful opportunities for your child to learn important social skills.
• Listening. Preschoolers must also learn to listen to others with interest. Model appropriate listening behavior for your preschooler by actively listening when she tells you about her day, her friends and her discoveries.
• Motor skills. Preschoolers are also learning complex movements such as hopping, climbing, and skipping. Let your child practice and make it fun!
• Adventurous. Children can be very active during this time period. Make sure to provide helmets when riding tricycles and do regular safety checks on play equipment.
• Language. Pronunciation improves during this time. Don't be alarmed if your child leaves out word sounds occasionally.
• Principles. Preschool children are also learning the difference between right and wrong. You can help by setting firm and consistent limits for your child.
• Reality vs. fantasy. Preschoolers must learn the difference between reality and fantasy. By the end of the preschool years, your child will have a better understanding of past, present and future.
• Phobias. New fears, especially to unfamiliar sights and sounds are common at this age. Be supportive while trying to ease irrational fears.
• Poor sportsmanship. Preschoolers learn to follow simple rules in the games they play, but they will always want to win and be in "first place." Playing "fair" will come later in your child's development.
• Highly impressionable. Preschoolers are heavily influenced by what they see. It's important to actively supervise what your child is exposed to on television and in the real world.

I have also decided the importance of praising and encouraging. This is critical for the development of preschool children. We really must look into how we are parenting our children. My husband and myself were even doing things wrong and I realize it. I have decided to make great changes with my parenting and I want to share the importance with all of you.

Praise and Encouragement is extremely important. It's not just the act of praise or encouragement, but HOW you praise or encourage that's truly important in what's effective, positive and reinforcing for your child.

• Keep your praise and encouragement specific. When your child draws a picture, instead of saying, "This is great," talk to your child about it. You might say, "Tell me about these stripes here - are blue and pink your favorite colors? What kind of shape did you use here?" This way you can talk and learn together, while sending the message that the picture is important to you too.
• Watch the content of your praise and encouragement. Saying, "Wow, that is the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen!" can make your child focus on always trying to please people. Instead you could say, "I like all the colors you used in this picture."
• "Catch your child being good." Instead of always pointing out everything your child does wrong, give them attention for the things that they do right. Celebrate the positive things they do and reward their good behavior!
• Instead of focusing on the two Lego pieces your child forgot to put away, praise him for cleaning up all the other pieces. Encourage your preschool children.
• After you praise him, you can ask if he notices anything he missed and then praise him again when he figures it out. This creates two situations for praise and helps your child feel confident twice!
• Be consistent! You can empathize with your child's feelings, but it doesn't mean you think his behavior is always okay. For example, let him know that violence (e.g. hitting a sibling, breaking a toy) will not be tolerated or allowed. When the parent is consistent, it's easier for the child to learn the rules.

Please remember the importance of parenting preschool children. Parenting our children in general. These precious lives are the future. We do not want to repeat mistakes of our past and pass behaviors on to our children. If you have any advice or suggestions for my readers I would love to hear them! Contact me at Toddlers Are Fun!

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