At around three or four years old, children begin to develop self-awareness, – but this doesn’t necessarily mean that kids are thinking about themselves all the time or have a deep understanding of who they are.
As kids grow and change throughout their childhood, how they view themselves and their understanding of who they are also changes. Parents can keep looking out for their children’s self-awareness to ofer necessary support as they grow.
Some signs are easy for parents to spot, and others can be harder to tell.
If you’ve been wondering if your child has become self-aware, look for these four signs. They indicate that your child is understanding their thoughts and feelings, and is developing a sense of self-identity.
It is a signifcant milestone in their development, and you should be happy and celebrate!
Check out these signs to identify your child’s self-awareness:
- They start to notice that they difer from other people. Your child may point out physical diferences between themselves and others, such as skin color or hair type. They may also notice behavioral and personality diferences.
- Some signs that your child notices the diferences is they ask why they can’t do something that someone else can do.
- For example, “Why can’t I sing like Peter?” This is where you can explain the diferences between people and help your child understand everyone is special in their way.
- Encourage them to embrace their uniqueness and be proud of who they are. Also, promote body positivity by afrming that all bodies are good bodies.
- They become interested in their appearance. Your child may ask for specifc clothing items or haircuts. They may also start asking you to help them style their hair in new ways. It is normal behavior as your child becomes aware of how they look.
- Encourage them to express themselves and experiment with their appearance. However, it’s also important to teach your child that it is not necessary to make a change to please others.
- Avoid comparison comments, such as “You look just like your Aunt Sally,” or “Don’t you think you’d look nicer with your hair styled like this?”
- Instead, focus on promoting self-acceptance by afrming it is always good to be yourself
- They develop a sense of humor. Your child may make jokes, even at their own expense – this is a sign that they are becoming comfortable with who they are and can see the humor in situations.
- Encourage them to express their sense of humor and enjoy a good laugh together. Avoid making fun of your child or putting them down.
- Laughing together is a great way to bond and build self-confdence. Watch funny movies, tell jokes and read quirky storybooks together.
- They understand and express their feelings better. Your child may talk about how they feel under certain circumstances. They may also express themselves in creative ways, such as through art or writing.
- This is a sign that your child is developing emotional intelligence and can understand and process their feelings.
- Encourage them to express themselves in whatever way feels comfortable for them. Also, provide support and understanding as they navigate their emotions.
- Provide your child with practical tools to help them process negative and positive emotions. For example, teach them how to use deep breathing or visualization to calm down when feeling overwhelmed.
- Finally, journaling is a healthy way to process thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Encourage your child to write their feelings down, especially when they don’t know how to express themselves verbally.
Self-awareness is an essential milestone in your child’s development. By encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness, promoting body positivity, and teaching them emotional intelligence, you can help your child build self-confdence and a strong sense of self-identity.
