The toddler and preschool years are an in-between period for a child who is learning new cognitive and motor skills. Because a 3-year-old is gaining methods of reasoning, his moral development is showing through behavior and interaction with others. Very young children do not have the ability to think beyond themselves or to understand consequences. By the time a child turns 3, he is beginning to have more of a sense of selflessness.
Theorists
The idea of moral development has been studied by psychologists who observe the behavior of children. Jean Piaget studied children and concluded that morality is a developmental process. Children go through a heteronomous stage where they follow rules and are obedient to adults. Lawrence Kohlberg expanded upon Piaget's work to determine that children develop morality based on their experiences and exposure to situations such as justice and equality.
Identification
Angela Oswalt, MSW of the Betty Hardwick Center Community Resource states that morality is the capacity to understand the difference between right and wrong and how to make the right decisions. Three-year-olds are beginning to develop a conscience and can begin to understand how certain decisions affect others. Children develop morality based on what is in their environment, such as by exposure to styles of parenting and relationships with peers.
Significance
Three-year-old children are still in the heteronomous stage of moral development, as defined by Piaget. During this stage, children are aware of the role of adults, such as their teachers or parents, and believe that these people have the final authority on most decisions. Rules are significant to 3-year-olds, who believe in the importance of regulations. Three-year-olds are more aware of the consequences of rule-breaking rather than the motivation behind it.
Examples
The moral characteristics of a 3-year-old are manifested by her behavior and interactions with others. The concept of sharing between peers develops and she learns the importance of give and take. The consequences of behavior affect her decisions. For example, if she steals a toy from another child and makes him cry, she may feel sad that she hurt another person's feelings. Three-year-old children show moral development by becoming increasingly selfless, with less capacity for tantrums and an increased desire for flexibility and cooperation.
Parents
Parents play an important role in influencing their child's moral development. According to Parenthood in America from the University of Wisconsin, parents' behavior has an effect on how children develop moral consciences. Providing nurturing builds a child's self-esteem, which leads him toward greater selflessness. Parents who allow their child to make some decisions teach him to think for himself. Those who model moral behavior show a child important concepts of morality that he can continue to develop as he grows.
References
- University of Illinois at Chicago: Moral Development and Moral Education: An Overview
- Parenthood in America: Fostering Goodness: Teaching Parents to Facilitate Children's Moral Development
- Mesa Community College: Toddlers, Preschoolers and Kindergartners
- Betty Hardwick Center: Early Childhood Moral Development
