Age Appropriate
Expectations
=
Age Appropriate
Behaviors
Dr. Maggie McGuire
maggie@drmaggiemcguire.com
What one behavior
makes you…
• Crazy
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
• Is the behavior
appropriate to the
age of the child?
• Are your
expectations
appropriate to the
age of the child?
OR
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Developmentally Appropriate
Behavior/Expectations
0-17 months
Expresses emotions: Pleasure,
sadness, fear/anxiety
(stranger anxiety & separation
anxiety)
 Anger/negative feelings
 Shows anger focused on
people or objects
 Shows pleasure in
mastery/new
accomplishments
 Shows affection for familiar
people, asserts self
(strong sense of self).
 Expects needs to be addressed
IMMEDATELY!
 No concept of other’s needs.
 They are the center of their
world.
 Limited thought processes
 No concept of time.
 No control of emotions
(Flooding)
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Developmentally Appropriate
Behavior/Expectations
18 months-3yrs
 Frequently displays
aggressive feelings/behavior
 Exhibits mood shifts
(stubborn/compliant)
 Verbalizes feelings more
often
 Shows increased fearfulness
(of dark, monsters, etc.)
 Shows concern for others
 Difficulty sharing/taking
turns.
 Expects needs to be
addressed IMMEDATELY!
 No concept of other’s needs.
 They are the center of their
world.
 Limited thought processes
 No concept of time.
 No control of
emotions (flooding)
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Developmentally Appropriate
Behavior/Expectations
3-5 years
 Begins to understand turn
taking/sharing
 Usually needs help to resolve
conflicts
 Outbursts of anger with justification
(“he hit me first”)
 Still needs help controlling feelings
 Begins cooperative play
 Forms small groups that may
exclude a peer
 Shows less physical aggression –
moves to verbal insults or threats,
may lie rather than admit breaking
rules
 Little concept of other’s
needs.
 They are the center of their
world.
 Limited thought processes
 Little concept of time.
 Little control of emotions
(flooding)
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Common Behavioral
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
Testing Limits
Physical Aggression
Biting
Temper Tantrums
Bullying
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Most Important
WHY
are they doing it?
• Ask yourself
– Is it developmentally
appropriate to their
age?
– Or is it because they
can?
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
In your groups
Using the card that your group has been given,
1 Decide whether or not you would see this
behavior in the three different age groups.
2 What would it look like?
3 How should the behavior be handled
4 Be prepared to report.
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Common Behavioral
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
Testing Limits
Physical Aggression
Biting
Temper Tantrums
Bullying
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
How do you handle
challenging behaviors?
•
•
•
•
Threatening
Punishment
Demeaning
Labeling
(“Good/Bad”)
• Teacher Directed
Time Out
•
•
•
•
Redirection
Choices
Modeling
Clear
expectations/limits
• Positive language
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Role of temperament
 Children have temperamental tendencies that affect the ways in
which they interact with others.
 Each child is unique and each relationship between a child and
a teacher is unique.
 Understanding the child’s temperament and one’s own gives
important insights into the child’s behavior and one’s own
reaction to the child.
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Easy-Flexible Child
Typically regular in eating and sleeping
patterns.
Approaches new situations
optimistically, adapts quickly, has
positive moods.
Easily toilet trained, has regular feeding
and nap routines.
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Difficult/Feisty Child
 Opposite of the easy/flexible child.
 The child may be hard to get to sleep, typically fusses or cries at anything new
and usually adapts slowly.
 Often expresses an unpleasant or disagreeable mood, and if frustrated, may
even have a temper tantrum.
 The child reacts to the world in negative and intense ways and can be stubborn
or explosive.
 Teachers who do not understand this type of temperament as NORMAL
sometimes feel frustrated with a child that is difficult to “CONTROL.”
 The teacher may scold, pressure, or use harsh discipline on the
child, which only reinforces a true behavior problem.
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Slow to Warm-Up
Fearful Child
Often called “shy”.
Discomfort with new things and adapts slowly.
More likely to experience anxiety and physical symptoms
Unlike the difficult child, this child’s negative mood is often
expressed slowly and the child may or may not be irregular in
sleep, eating, and toileting.
 Typically stands at the edge of the group at group time.
 Reactions become more positive with continued
exposure.



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© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Strategies for Supporting
Appropriate Expectations




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Planned schedule
Smooth transitions
Routines
Establishing clear, consistent rules for behavior
Ignore inappropriate behavior
Redirect behavior
Give positive attention, feedback, and
encouragement
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Set limits
Acknowledge the child’s feelings and
wishes
Clearly state the limit
Say what behavior is acceptable
Offer a final choice
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Change the negative
into the positive
Don’t shove in line.
Stop talking
No running
Quit screaming at him.
Put your hands at your
side.
Please listen quietly.
Use your walking feet in
the hall.
Use your words and tell
him what you want.
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
What you can do
 Model & encourage expected behavior
 Redirect children to acceptable activities
 Set clear limits & intervene when necessary
 Provide appropriate language
 Respect children
 Be patient
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Resources
• Copple, C. & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate
practice in early childhood programs serving children birth through
age 8. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
• Richardson, D. Guiding young children series: Why children
misbehave. http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edudocushare.
• Miller, K. (2004). Structure for success:
• 30 preventive discipline techniques.
• Udell, T. & Glasenapp, G. (2004). Managing
• Challenging behaviors: Adult communication
• As a prevention and teaching tool.
• ChildCareExchange.com
• Stephens, K. (2004). What’s so positive about positive discipline?
ChildCareExchange.com
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Adult communication As a prevention and teaching tool.
ChildCareExchange.com
Copple, C. & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in
early childhood programs serving children birth through age 8. Washington, DC:
NAEYC.
How to understand your child’s temperament. www.healthychild.org
Miller, K. (2004). Structure for success: 30 preventive discipline techniques.
Oliver, K. (n.d.). Understanding your child’s temperament.
Http://ohioline.osu.edu
Richardson, D. Guiding young children series: Why children misbehave.
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edudocushare.
Stephens, K. (2004). What’s so positive about positive discipline?
ChildCareExchange.com
Udell, T. & Glasenapp, G. (2004). Managing Challenging behaviors
Zero to Three- www.zerotothree.org
© Dr. Maggie McGuire LLC