How Children Learn Aggression
"Mine" is a word toddlers learn as soon as they learn to speak. Gaze deeply into the well of children's behavior for answers to why children become aggressive. In terms of psychological aspects, every human being from birth to death settles into a world defined by borders. Infants sense the security of the borders of their crib. As they take their first step, a world of wonderment is before them. The borders are defined by a strange new word from Mum, "No". To which, toddlers respond in kind: "No!". Hidden in that single word is the beginning of the first phase of childrens introduction to aggression. The degree to which aggression expands is dependent upon the child's nature, whether docile or actively assertive. Parents walk a fine line with toddlers and pre-school age children when attempting to teach them the difference between aggression and self-defense. The pre-school age child soaks up examples of adult and sibling behavior that is part of the daily environment, and uses these examples when interacting with others.
Childhood's First Battle
Most pre-school age children understand things alien to their world. To them, their peers are aliens who act and react in ways they are unprepared to process. When the pre-schooler becomes aggressive, it's an instinctive behavioral self-defense borne of invasion of their safe, secure environment. The aggressive child wants a toy badly enough to step out of the bounds of their own territory to possess it, while the passive child defends the right to ownership. The two engage in their first childhood battle. Teach aggressive children that deprivation of their whims and desires is not necessarily self-defeating. Mums can do this by the simple act of distraction. Engage the pre-schooler in any distraction that requires their effort and attention as a regular exercise to reduce aggression in a constructive way.
As a mother, there are always things to worry about regarding your child. Even relatively minor issues can be worrisome, especially if diagnosis is uncertain. One common question regarding the health of young children is how to distinguish between a common cold and chronic nasal allergies.
Cold or Allergies?
Since colds and allergies have similar symptoms, it might seem not as important to distinguish between the two. However, if you can determine the source of a child's allergic reaction, you can work to eliminate the cause, thus providing long-term relief. In the case of short-term relief, colds are best treated with decongestants while allergies will respond better to antihistamines.
There are several ways to distinguish chronic allergies from a simple cold, including:
*Length of the symptoms. While a cold will eventually diminish and congestion fade, usually within ten to fourteen days, allergies will linger much longer, particularly if they are seasonal allergies.
*Color of discharge. Nasal discharge from allergies is usually thin and clear, while that associated with a cold is thicker and often yellow or green.
*Symptoms occur in specific places or during specific seasons. If your child only sneezes and has a runny nose when visiting the neighbor who has cats, or suffers from congestion throughout the fall season, it's quite likely that the cause is allergies rather than a cold.
Treating Allergies
Removing your child from the allergen and/or providing an antihistamine will help a great deal. Also, consult with a doctor for additional suggestions and advice on how to treat allergy symptoms. Supplying an appropriate treatment can go a long way toward helping your child feel better.
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