Foundations of Learning

¶ … Behavior At a recent meeting for pre-school teachers, a childhood physical development expert covered topics about three- to five-year-olds. The professional first covered the topic of resolving sleeping difficulties. Many parents are concerned because they hear their son or daughter regularly wake up during the night. They feel this is why their child is tired in the morning. Dr. Richard Ferber suggested the problem is not so much waking up as it is not being able to fall back to sleep.

Parents should make sure the child falls asleep in the room he/she will see when waking up at night. The room will be conducive to sleep. Another subject discussed was handedness, or the primary hand that a child begins to use across a range of tasks. According to Dr. Arnold Gesell, a majority of children show a handedness preference by age three and most by school age. It is possible to tell the dominant hand by how much it is used for activities as writing and sports.

Toddlers who are still developing motor control should not be encouraged to use one hand over another. They should be handed an item in the middle of their body to have a choice of hands. However, children over five using both hands interchangeably but inadequately may begin having coordination or reading problems. Encourage fine motor development of one hand through activities including crafts and puzzles (Gale). Nutrition is another pre-school issue. Many young children will only eat specific foods, so it is difficult for parents to provide well-balanced meals.

Burt, J. And Hertzler, A found that caregivers should expose children to different foods as young as possible. "If only a limited diet is served, the child only enjoys a few foods." Caregivers can also improve nutritional habits by having children help with meal preparation (Birch). The childhood expert also noted that caregivers must remember that pre-school children are still learning about their bodies. Toilet accidents may occur when they are on different schedules than at home. Child psychologist Charles E.

Schaefer said that caregivers often believe a child has an accident out of spite or to get attention. However, he added, "It is unlikely that children wet or soil because they are lazy, obstinate or rebellious. Accidents are more likely due to slow physiological development, insecurity-anxiety, or ignoring signals due to intense involvement in play." The appropriate caregiver response would be patience and reassurance -- not blame or embarrassment. The teachers also learned that drawing is an excellent way to enhance eye-hand coordination, creativity and expression.

"Early drawings are a rich window into the child's view of the world," stated Doctor Marilyn Heins. Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget said symbolic thought emerges from age two to seven. Similarly, play and fantasy become a tool.