One Year to Two Years – Social and Emotional Development.

The second year in the child’s life is a period of crucial emotional and social development such that those babies in happy families learn to lively happily with other people. 

Most children show affection spontaneously if they are in happy and lovely families. However, if the family is characterized by anger and hatred, the child may develop into and angry and hateful one.

To make the child a happy child, family members should express joyful emotions with dancing, clapping hands and laughing with, not at, the child. Children at this age often express anger and frustration when restrained fro doing what they want to do. They love companionship but may be shy with strangers. They also show sympathy to hurt members of the family, pets and even toys. 

A sense of self, self-ownership and self importance is observed through self-assertion. They often say NO to almost everything if they are always being restrained, but may also say YES to everything if they always get approval. They may sow jealous if there is a new baby. If there is a new baby at this stage, make the older child feel that the new baby belongs to him/her too. Pay extra attention to the older baby so that he/she feels that he/she is as loved as the new baby.

Since the atmosphere at home has greater influence than anything else, always keep it warm, wholesome and as pleasant as possible. Make the child feel secure and allow him/her to be free to develop a healthy outgoing spirit. Allow the child to see others play so that he/she can get used to them. Encourage sharing of toys and make it enjoyable. Don’t force the child to share otherwise the rest will be negative.

NEVER tease the child or allow him/her to be teased, but also don’t encourage the child to show off. The child is still growing; don’t worry about their bad table manners. Avoid punishing the child in a manner which does not teach them anything. Breaking the child’s spirit at this age will have dangerous effects.