Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations

8 months
Foundation: Impulse Control
The developing capacity to wait for needs to be met,
to inhibit potentially hurtful behavior, and to act according
to social expectations, including safety rules
At around eight months of
age, children act on impulses.
(Birth–9 mos.; Bronson 2000b,
64)
For example, the child may:
• Explore the feel of hair by
pulling it. (4–7 mos.; American
Academy of Pediatrics 2004,
226)
• Reach for an interesting toy that
another child is mouthing.
• Reach for another child’s bottle
that was just set down nearby.
• Turn the head away or push the
bottle away when finished eating
(8 mos.; Meisels and others
2003, 19).
Chart continues on next page.
18 months
At around 18 months of age,
children respond positively
to choices and limits set by
an adult to help control their
behavior. (18 mos.; Meisels
and others 2003, 34; Kaler and
Kopp 1990)
For example, the child may:
• Stop drawing on the wall when
a parent asks. (18 mos.; Meisels
and others 2003)
• Choose one toy when the infant
care teacher asks, “Which one
do you want?” even though the
child really wants both.
• Express “no no” while approaching
something the child
knows she should not touch,
because the infant care teacher
has communicated “no no” in
the past when the child tried to
do this.
• Look to the infant care teacher
to see his reaction when the
child reaches toward the light
switch.
• Stop reaching for the eyeglasses
on the infant care teacher’s
face when she gently says, “no
no.” (Scaled score of 10 for
7:16–8:15 mos.; Bayley 2006,
87; 12 mos.; Meisels and others
2003, 27)
36 months
31
At around 36 months of age,
children may sometimes
exercise voluntary control over
actions and emotional expressions.
(Bronson 2000b, 67)
For example, the child may:
• Jump up and down on the
couch but stop jumping and
climb down when a parent
enters the room. (36 mos.;
Meisels and others 2003)
• Experience difficulty (e.g., cry,
whine, pout) with transitions.
(30–36 mos.; Parks 2004, 320)
• Begin to share.
• Handle transitions better when
prepared ahead of time or when
the child has some control over
what happens.
• Touch a pet gently without
needing to be reminded.
• Wait to start eating until others
at the table are also ready.
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT