Self-awareness is the physical realization that your child is separated from you. She may have similar features as you (hands, hair, feet) but her features look different from yours. A lot of these physical realizations occur when your child looks at herself in the mirror and in pictures, and when she learns to identify her own name.
During this age, your child will demonstrate self-awareness skills by using words such as I and mine. You will hear your child describe her own interests (“I paint”) and skills (“I jump”). This differentiation is one of the developments that will lead your child to developing self-esteem. It then becomes your responsibility as a parent to support your child with verbal feedback and praise. You can say things like, “Yes, you can jump!” and “Yes, you can paint.”
Building self-esteem supports your child’s emotional health because it makes your child feel good about herself and understand she can do something on her own. This is critical in developing relationships with others and having the “I can do it” spirit.
As your child matures and reaches two, she will begin to see that even though she has features similar to those around her, she is an individual with her own personality and identity. With your support, your child will feel good about who she is as she becomes more aware of herself and the world around her. Celebrate your child’s personality as she grows day by day.
There are several activities that will encourage self-awareness in your child:
- Have photos of your child next to pictures that he draws and display his artwork on your refrigerator door or wall.
- Hold a mirror in front of him and have him point to his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Talk about the color of his hair and the color of your hair. You can even sing the song and play “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”
