Page 11 - Final Lesson-2.pmd

Early Childhood in India

Familial Influence

Love and responsive care are needed for social and emotional health. Adults whose
Notes presence is continuous and consistent encourage attachment and bonding. This
interactive relationship contributes to psychological and social stability among
children. In situations of stress, families may ignore or even abuse their children
who then may become negative towards their social world. Too much attention
with little freedom to explore also makes children submissive and dependent.

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. Families with an informal
network of community or family assistance experience less child maltreatment.
Emotional and verbal responsiveness of the mother, maternal involvement with
the child, and provision of appropriate toys during the first two years are associated
with increased cognitive development by the age of four years. Parental
aggression, lack of maternal warmth and stressful events may cause behavioral
problems.

Geographical Influences

Neighborhoods play an important role in shaping children’s interests and
competence. Peers and community facilities are part of the everyday environment.
Neighborhood parks make outdoor playpossible.Libraries or facilities for cultural
activities develop skills and talents. Lack of child-oriented play spaces can force
children to stay indoors and play video games.Thus, itis no surprise that children
living in rural areas are often fast runners. Children living near forests are competent
in describing local flora and fauna. Similarly, urban children have a greater propensity
to talk about cars and other gadgets. It is up to the school and teacher to help children
grow into well-rounded individuals.

Socio-Economic Status
The economic means and access to resources is determined by the socio-economic
status of a family. Well-to-do families can access better schools with the possibility
of providing support materials. Often, poverty is accompanied by illiteracy and
absence of education can make families stick to less constructive beliefs. Poor
working parents may not have access to quality childcare. It is the onus of the
community to ensure good facilities for children.

Children experiencing long-term poverty exhibit poor attention span, poor
retention power and more developmental delays compared to developmental
delays in children experiencing short-term poverty.

Although nature contributes much to the growth and development of children, nurture
contributes by how it interacts with nature. Helen Keller was born blind and mute
but thanks to a dedicated teacher, went on to achieve world fame. Besides working
on gaps as caregivers, ensure that children get enough rest every day, as development
is heavily dependent on the amount of sleep and rest. Give attention to nutrition
and exercise levels, as these too play an important role in promoting timely and
healthy growth and development in children.

22 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION