INFANT – PSED
Personal, Social, Emotional Development (PSED) in Infants – An Introduction
Chapter 4.1
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During the Early Formative Years, PSED underpins everything a child does, and ultimately, if a child’s Personal, Social and Emotional Development isn’t nurtured and supported, the other areas of learning will be affected.
Let’s Reflect
Parents do not need to go out of the way in order to support PSED;
PSED is everywhere and in every interaction, you have with your infant. From the earliest stages of the way you greet your baby, your way of responding to your baby’s cries and introducing your baby to new people, you are supporting a child’s PSED.
What is PSED and Why is it important?
Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) are three building blocks of future success in life. They are closely linked to each other and often bracketed together as one area of learning and development. Early PSED has a huge impact on later well-being, learning, achievement and economic circumstances.
Personal Development (Being me)
Dispositions and attitudes Self-care (Self-awareness and motivation) How your newborn comes to understand:
- Who I am?
- What can I do?
- How can I look after myself?
Everyday Experiences
– When your baby coos or smiles to convey that it likes being held by you.
– Looks for you or make sounds or sometimes even cry just to get your attention
Social Development (Being Social)
Self-confidence and self-esteem (Behaviour and self-control Social skills) How your newborn comes to understand herself/himself in relation to others:
- How to make friends
- Understand the rules of society
- Appropriate behavior towards others.
Everyday Experience
– At the sight of new faces your baby keenly looks at them and moves its arms and legs to show its interest towards them.
– Imitating your moves, like sticking out tongue, opening or closing of mouth etc
Emotional Development (Having Feelings)
Making relationships (Sense of community)… How your new-born comes to understand his/her own and others’ feelings and develop an ability to ‘stand in someone else’s shoes’ and see things from their point of view, referred to as empathy.
Everyday Experience
– When your baby snuggles at the sound of loud noises
– Looking at another child cry your baby might end up crying too
Role of Parents
- Let your little one know that s/he means the world to you. Being special for someone, and well cared for is important for newborn’s physical, social and emotional well-being.
Holding them close and caressing are one of the means of expressing your care.
- Constantly acknowledge and affirm your child’s gestures Infants gain confidence and inner strength through secure attachments with his/her folks.
“I can sense you do not like me holding this other baby. Come let me hold you close now”
- Provide a secure base to explore the world thereby paving way to self-assurance, and promoting a sense of belonging.
“Here, you can have your own dough to help mama with cooking!”
- In addition to role-modelling positive behavior, parents should also ensure opportunities for their infant to interact with others so that s/he can develop positive self-image and positive relationships.
“Okay darling, you need to roll the ball towards your friend and then he will roll it back to you. Playing together is so much fun!”
- Letting your child freely express his/her ideas and feelings, such as happy, sad, amused, startled, fear etc. can help build inner abilities to cope with new, challenging and stressful situations.
“Look at you, I can see how excited you are to meet your new companion doggo!”
Sounds insightful?
Let us look at each aspect in detail in the coming articles and how can these be supported at home:
Personal Development: Is about attaining Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness; promoting children’s independence in tasks
Social Development: Is about Making Relationships; turn-taking and sharing,
Emotional Development: Is about Managing feelings and behaviour; Exploring and Understanding their own emotions and feelings
Positive Relations: Reciprocal Interactions promote attachment between the parent and the child and develops a co-operative spirit right in the child, that becomes his/her lasting habit!
Enabling Environment: Providing safe, secure, and enriching environment whilst taking the interests of the child into consideration
Characteristics of PSED in Infants: The defining factors
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