special feature
To put a positive spin on this stage of development , you could say that , during this stage they are discovering themselves and learning to love themselves . When you hear “ no ,” “ mine ,” and “ me ” repeatedly , remind yourself of this positive view . Yes , they believe they are the center of the universe , and they act accordingly , but it ’ s also a sweet stage of childhood .
While this is developmentally appropriate , it doesn ’ t mean that poor behavior related to egocentrism should be ignored or that there ’ s nothing to be done about it . There are ways to nurture your child ’ s continued development so that they better learn empathy and compassion . You can do this by modeling empathetic and compassionate behaviors yourself as you are your child ’ s first teacher and model . In addition , setting limits is also important . If your child snatches a toy from another child ’ s hand , for example , you can intervene with kindness and empathy ( to model !) and help him give the toy back and wait his turn . If your child is having a meltdown because she can ’ t have ice cream for breakfast , you can empathize with her upset while stressing the importance of a healthy breakfast .
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