The Preschooler and Family : Anticipatory guidance
The Preschooler and Family :
- Anticipatory guidance
- 3 Years of Age
- Prepare parents for child’s increasing interest in widening relationships.
- Encourage enrollment in preschool.
- Emphasize importance of setting limits.
- Prepare parents to expect exaggerated tension-reduction behaviors such as need for a “security blanket.”
- Encourage parents to offer child choices.
- Prepare parents to expect marked changes at 3.5 years when child becomes insecure and exhibits emotional extremes.
- Prepare parents for normal dysfluency in speech and advise them to avoid focusing on the pattern.
- Prepare parents to expect extra demands on their attention as a reflection of child’s emotional insecurity and fear of loss of love.
- Warn parents that the equilibrium of a 3-year-old will change to the aggressive, out-of-bounds behavior of a 4-year-old.
- Inform parents to anticipate a more stable appetite with more food selections.
- Stress needs for protection and education of child to prevent injury
- 4 Years of Age
- Prepare parents for more aggressive behavior, including motor activity and offensive language.
- Prepare parents to expect resistance to parental authority.
- Explore parental feelings regarding child’s behavior.
- Suggest some type of respite for primary caregivers, such as placing child in preschool for part of the day.
- Prepare parents for child’s increasing sexual curiosity.
- Emphasize importance of realistic limit setting on behavior and appropriate disciplinary techniques.
- Prepare parents for the highly imaginative 4-year-old who indulges in “tall tales” (to be differentiated from lies) and develops imaginary playmates.
- Prepare parents to expect nightmares or an increase in them.
- Provide reassurance that period of calmness begins at 5 years of age.
- 5 Years of Age
- Inform parents to expect tranquil period at 5 years of age.
- Help parents prepare children for entrance into school environment.
- Make certain that childhood immunizations are up to date before child enters school.
- Suggest that unemployed parental caregivers consider own activities when children begin school.