Importance of early childhood environment
People Develop Their Personalities at a Very Young Age
The importance of early childhood environment can not be overstated, suggest several studies on human behavior. Our personalities develop sooner than most people might realize. Traits such as trust, social interaction, independence, and yes, even potty training are learned early and often, and affect us for the rest of our lives, whether or not we recognize exactly when or where they originated. Psychologist Erik Erikson believes children go through eight clear stages of development, and the importance of early childhood environment plays a key part in each stage.
Because infants are utterly and completely helpless in all areas, they are wholly dependent on their parents or care-takers. When or if these caretakers are in any way neglectful or incompetent on a consistent basis may determine whether the baby learns trust or mistrust. By age two, toddlers are already learning about independence. Overbearing or overprotective parents may cloud their child's ability to form their own activities or opinions. On the other hand, parents who encourage their children to act for themselves (in a safe environment) will encourage courage and self-esteem to grow.
From ages two through six, children learn to communicate through words and social interaction. At this age they begin to learn about some basic human responsibilities, as well as discipline. The ways they're taught by their parents about acceptable and unacceptable behavior will imprint their personalities well past adulthood. Likewise, a loving and considerate environment begets loving and considerate adults. We are a society that learn through both nature and nurture, but nothing affects us more than the events we experience as children.
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