Your Three- and Four-Year-Old : As They Grow

by Parents Magazine, Sally Lee; Graves, Ginny

• ISBN13: 9780312264208
• ISBN10: 0312264208
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-11-04
• Publisher: Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press

Summary

From America's #1 family magazine, a guide to your three- and four-year-old's emotional and cognitive milestones. The little person running around your home will amaze and amuse you as he asserts his newfound independence- and provides a running commentary on every day's events and activities. In Your Three- and Four-Year-Old, the expert editors of Parents magazine give a fascinating peek into your child's perpetually active mind, explaining why and what your three- and four-year-old may be thinking and feeling throughout the metamorphosis from baby to miniature individual. At the same time, you'll discover how to promote a stimulating, supportive environment in which your child can blossom. Each chapter focuses on a unique developmental milestone- from verbalizing feelings and using his imagination to learning responsibility and appreciating the needs of others. Your Three- and Four-Year-Old helps you to understand your child's evolving and often erratic behavior by sharing his perspective on the world and the people around him, and offers specific advice for easing the inevitable conflicts that arise during his quest for independence, while he's still not physically and emotionally capable of doing everything he wants to do. This essential resource also provides straightforward, practical advice on dealing with issues from imaginary friends and increasing gender awareness, to common pre-schooler fears (of darkness, dreams, and being hurt) and frustrations. Your Three- and Four-Year-Old will help you and your child to grow and enjoy these wonderful years. Each chapter highlights four main areas: * Developmental Milestone (what you can expect) * Conflict (changes in behavior that result from this milestone) * You and Your Child (how this stage of development affects you as a parent) * Helping Your Child Grow (strategies, activities and ideas for creative play that enhance development) Informative, recurring features include: * How It Feels to Be Me (common scenarios explained from a child's perspective) * Do Say/Don't Say (scripts of appropriate responses to various situations)

Author Biography

Parents Magazine has been America's #1 family magazine since 1926. Parents is the voice of parents, for parents-providing all the information and inspiration parents need to raise happy, healthy kids.

Ginny Graves, an award-winning journalist, has written about child-rearing issues for a number of national magazines, including Redbook and Parenting and is a regular contributor to Parents magazine. She also is the author of the book Pregnancy Fitness, a comprehensive
guide to exercise during pregnancy.

Table of Contents

Foreword	8	(1)
Sally Lee
I want to do it myself!	9	(17)
Your three- to four-year-old's growing independence
Developmental Milestone: Caring for oneself	12	(4)
Conflict: Desire for greater control versus physical and emotional readiness	16	(2)
You and Your Child: How your child's new skills affect you	18	(4)
Dealing with your ambivalence	22	(1)
Helping Your Child Grow: Nurturing competence	22	(4)
Let's talk!	26	(12)
Your three- to four-year-old's communication skills
Developmental Milestone: Building language	27	(3)
The age of ``Why?''	28	(2)
Conflict: It's easier to hit than to explain why you're angry	30	(2)
You and Your Child: Communicating with each other	32	(2)
Dealing with chatter	33	(1)
Helping Your Child Grow: Creating a language-rich environment	34	(4)
Dealing with stuttering and other speech problems	37	(1)
What I know	38	(15)
Your three- to four-year-old's intellectual growth
Developmental Milestone: Thinking symbolically	39	(5)
The building blocks of future learning	41	(3)
Conflict: The limits of understanding	44	(1)
You and Your Child: Being a good teacher	45	(3)
Understanding your child's learning style	47	(1)
Helping Your Child Grow: The power of play	48	(5)
Encouraging problem solving	49	(3)
Aiding your child's comprehension	52	(1)
Let's pretend	53	(13)
Your three- to four-year-old's fantasy life
Developmental Milestone: The wonderful world of make-believe	54	(4)
Imaginary friends	56	(2)
Conflict: Distinguishing fantasy from reality	58	(1)
You and Your Child: Walking through the wonderland together	59	(3)
Participating in your child's play	60	(1)
Understanding your child's love of repetition	60	(2)
Helping Your Child Grow: Fostering creativity	62	(4)
That scares me!	66	(17)
Your three- to four-year-old's fears
Developmental Milestone: Gaining a greater understanding of the size and complexity of the world	67	(6)
Conflict: Wanting independence versus protection	73	(3)
You and Your Child: Managing your own fears	76	(1)
Helping Your Child Grow: Overcoming fears	77	(6)
Raising a safety-conscious child	80	(3)
I have friends!	83	(17)
Your three- to four-year-old's ability to socialize
Developmental Milestone: Learning to play cooperatively	84	(5)
The increasing importance of friends	87	(1)
Being excluded or excluding others	88	(1)
Conflict: Selfish desires versus social needs	89	(1)
You and Your Child: Giving your child the freedom to socialize	90	(4)
Taking a back seat to your child's peers	91	(3)
Helping Your Child Grow: Raising a socially well-adjusted child	94	(6)
I'm the best!	100	(12)
Your three- to four-year-old's personality
Developmental Milestone: Developing inflated self-confidence	102	(1)
Conflict: Coping with defeat	103	(1)
You and Your Child: Dealing with bragging	104	(5)
Negotiating temperamental conflicts	108	(1)
Helping Your Child Grow: Building the foundation for healthy self-esteem	109	(3)
Fostering resilinence	111	(1)
Trucks and tea sets	112	(15)
Your three- to four-year-old's gender identity
Developmental Milestone: Distinguishing gendered behavior	114	(5)
Identifying with same-sex parent	115	(1)
Becoming fascinated by bodies	116	(3)
Conflict: Rigid versus flexible sex roles	119	(2)
You and Your Child: Handling your child's crush	121	(3)
Helping Your Child Grow: Giving your child a broad sense of self	124	(3)
But I don't want to!	127	(17)
Your three- to four-year-old's behavior
Developmental Milestone: Becoming more headstrong	128	(4)
Conflict: Wanting your approval versus testing your limits	132	(1)
You and Your Child: Becoming a disciplinarian	133	(5)
Handling challenges to your authority	135	(1)
Managing your anger	136	(2)
Helping Your Child Grow: Disciplining effectively	138	(6)
Teaching manners and morals	143	(1)
Raising a moral child	144	(1)
Respect your child's uniqueness	144