Egocentrism in children is a concept we need to understand in order to raise a healthy and confident child.
“Self-focus” is considered a behavioral disorder in adults. Egocentrism is observed between 2-6 years of age in children and is considered normal.
You can find detailed information about eutosantrism in this article. In this article, Egocentrism in children – Self-focusing behavior will be examined.
Egocentrism
Psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980), explained egocentrism in his studies.
What is egocentrism?
Egocentrism is the experience of self-referencing, but not always in a healthy way. Essentially, it’s when your thoughts (or feelings) are heavily influenced or inflated by your sense of identity and personal experience.
Due to the nature of the child, the child tries to perceive and explore his/her environment during the development period. For this reason, they can in centrist behavior.
”Egocentrism in children | 2-6 Years
Egocentrism in children in this period;
- Does not like to share.
- They think that everyone sees the world as they do.
- Self-focused, they think that everything is for themselves.
- They are unaware that others see events differently and perceive things differently.
- They often use words like “No, it’s me”, “I own this”, “My”.
How should parents act?
First of all, you should understand that this is normal. With a calm and patient approach, it will be easy to manage the egocentrism period. Especially for toddlers, it is important to be careful and calm during this period.
You must give up the behavior of ”managing the child”.
While your child’s development is ongoing, you should not try to keep them under control at all times. In the egocentrism period, your child’s wishes may be exaggerated, it may sound unrealistic. You should not force them to think like you, you should talk and you should share your ideas.
Let your child make friends
• Allow your children to make friends with other children.
• Egocentrism tends to lose its nature when children encounter different behaviors of their friends. Seeing that they have different points of view will help your child to understand the truth.
Observe your child well.
Listen carefully to the stories your child tells. In this way, you can understand his world more closely
Talk to your child often
Guide your child to talk to you. However, your child should not feel under pressure to make decisions. You can create a positive discussion with him so that he can exchange ideas with you, allowing you to explore different perspectives.
Last Updated on December 10, 2022 by Lucas Berg
