Page 102 - Meeting with Children Book

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world. By 18 months of age, children want to how things
work such as a comb, opening things, moving and looking
inside things etc. The toddler's observation skills have
increased to the point that internal maps are forming to
predict home environments and relationships. This aged
child becomes aware if something is missing or out of place
and he can become distressed because of this. This is an
important fact when caregivers are making changes such as
moving to new houses or changing routines or rituals. It is
a critical issue when reviewing divorce and caregiving
practices. Interruption to early brain neuro-pathway
development can produce troubling effects

By the age of 2, a child identifies the self as either male or
female. This development is related to the beginning of
autobiographical memory which is the ability of the child to
identify things about the self as separate and unique of
those around them, particularly primary caregivers. It is
also related to the fact children can begin to represent and
use an object for something other than what is intended
(i.e., using a box as a train). It is the beginning of the
emergence of self and is the reason it is a difficult time for
parents who are not ready for a child to assert him/herself
as a person who has separate needs, and ideas to that of
his/her caregiver.

Toddlers begin to identify patterns and regularities in their
daily lives. They begin to predict caregiver behavior and
have learned expectations about caregivers. By 2 years of
age the child can think ahead wonder and what will happen,
but it is a time of potential distress as the young child can
understand something will happen; but he does not know
what. Transitions for 2-3 year olds can be difficult. This is a
rapid time of imitation of caregivers and by approximately
20 months of age toddlers form a conscious goal and keep
the goal in mind (Kagan, 1981). This means that it is not as
easy to distract a child of this age. Deflections are easier for