Lately we have been noticing Clarissa’s emotional development. As she is nearing her 3 birthday which is very soon, she is very aware of her other people’s moods. And she is learning about her own moods too. We can see that her dispositions, sometimes quiet, sometimes adventurous or even gregarious are becoming more apparent.
Everytime when she does not get something that she wants, she will cry with tears easily coming out from her eyes. Then she will cry out, “I want mommy, I want mommy” or “I want daddy, I want daddy” even though it was the mommy or daddy that scolded her. She is now easily hurt by unkind words. Another development that we noticed is that she would try and get our attention as much as possible. There seems to be an unspoken contest between her and her older sister Annabelle. Whenever we praised Annabelle for being able to do something, Clarissa would also try to get the same praises. Of course we do praise her for her efforts.
If your children are behaving like Clarissa, do not scold them. Yes, it can be very irritating at times but do understand that this is a stage that your children have to go through. It is a good emotional development for your children as it helps them to be aware of the various emotions that God has given to us human beings. A general respect for how they respond to the world will help them feel accepted. So let them know you love them just the way they are.
