Helping Kids Help Themselves
Be responsible, happy, and successful
The Official Joy Berry Website
Helping Kids Help Themselves
become responsible, happy, and successful
Helping Kids Help Themselves
become responsible, happy, and successful
LIVING SKILLS SUBJECTS AND EDUCATIONAL GOALS FOR AGES 5 - 7
Living Skills
Children 5 – 7 years of age are naturally egocentric. Even their concern for other people is based on whatever personal benefits can be derived from others. Therefore, preoccupation with personal matters precedes a young child’s interest in social matters.
Every young child progresses from being egocentric to being social and also progresses from less offensive misbehavior to more offensive misbehavior. Given this developmental progression, it is recommended that parents enhance their young children’s natural development and growth by teaching them age-appropriate Living Skills that can help them replace misbehavior with good behavior.
Here are the LIVING SKILLS SUBJECTS AND EDUCATIONAL GOALS for AGES 5 – 7 presented in developmental categories and sequencing.
NEGLIGENT MISBEHAVIOR
BEING LAZY – Educational goals should be to encourage children to take care of their own needs whenever possible and explain why they should help others.
BEING FORGETFUL – Educational goals should be to teach children ways to overcome the forgetfulness that can cause frustration and inconvenience for them and others.
BEING CARELESS – Educational goals should be to explain the problems caused by carelessness and teach children how to be careful.
BEING MESSY – Educational goals should be to explain the problems caused by messiness and teach children how to be neat.
BEING WASTEFUL – Educational goals should be to explain why children should conserve resources and how they can do so.
OVERDOING IT – Educational goals should be to teach children why overindulgence is harmful and explain how they can avoid being overindulgent.
EGOCENTRIC MISBEHAVIOR
SHOWING OFF – Educational goals should be to explain why children show off and why showing off is not a good way to get the attention and approval children need and want.
BEING A BAD SPORT – Educational goals should be to explain the disadvantages of being a bad sport and teach children how to avoid being one.
BEING SELFISH – Educational goals should be to teach the importance of unselfishness and teach children practical ways to share.
BEING GREEDY – Educational goals should be to explain the disadvantages of being greedy and encourage children not to be greedy.
BREAKING PROMISES – Educational goals should be to define trust and explain how children can develop and maintain trust in their relationships.
DISOBEYING – Educational goals should be to explain why parents tell their children what to do and encourage children to obey their parents.
LYING – Educational goals should be to define dishonesty and encourage children to be truthful.
DISRUPTIVE MISBEHAVIOR
INTERRUPTING – Educational goals should be to define interruptions and explain under what conditions interruptions are and are not acceptable.
WHINING – Educational goals should be to explain why children whine and encourage them to utilize more positive ways to get attention and have their needs met.
COMPLAINING – Educational goals should be to explain the difference between constructive and destructive criticism and explain when complaining is and is not helpful.
THROWING TANTRUMS – Educational goals should be to explain why tantrums occur and help children find constructive ways to deal with anger.
TEASING – Educational goals should be to show children how to respond when they are being teased and encourage them to avoid teasing other children.
TATTLING – Educational goals should be to define tattling and explain when it is appropriate and inappropriate to tattle.
GOSSIPING – Educational goals should be to discuss the problems that gossiping creates and encourage children to avoid making negative statements about others.
BEING RUDE – Educational goals should be to define the Golden Rule and show children how they can practice it in their relationship with others.
AGRESSIVE MISBEHAVIOR
SNOOPING – Educational goals should be to define snooping, explain how it can destroy trust, and admonish children to respect the privacy of others.
CHEATING – Educational goals should be to encourage children to keep their desire to win in proper perspective and encourage them to play fairly.
STEALING – Educational goals should be to explain why stealing is inappropriate and show children how to respond if and when they take something that does not belong to them.
BEING BULLIED – Educational goals should be to explain why children bully others and show constructive ways to deal with a bully.
BEING BOSSY – Educational goals should be to explain the disadvantages of being bossy and encourage children to avoid bossing others.
BEING DESTRUCTIVE – Educational goals should be to explain how destruction can be harmful and show children how to avoid being destructive.
FIGHTING – Educational goals should be to explain the negative effects of fighting and suggest better ways for children to resolve their conflicts.
BEING MEAN – Educational goals should be to define cruel behavior and its damaging effects and encourage children to avoid being cruel to others.