Help your toddler to understand feelings by "reading" their facial expressions and body language. Talk about what you think they are feeling or expressing. New Jersey Council for Young Children. (2013). New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from: https://www.nj.gov/education/ece/guide/standards/birth/standard s.pdf Wittmer, D.S. & Petersen, S.H. (2005) Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Programme Planning: a relationship-based approach. Columbus: Pearson.
Self-awareness develops in tandem with language skills. Children who have greater self-awareness of their abilities are more confident and have better self-esteem.
A study on the use of possessive pronouns was carried out with 66 British toddlers. Researchers observed the toddlers in their homes over two visits 6 months apart when toddlers turned 18, 24 or 30 months. The study showed that the ability to use possessive pronouns (such as "mine"), which emerges between 18 and 24 months, unfolded when children developed the concept of self and other. The use of possessive pronouns was initially associated with physical aggression.
However, children who used possessive pronouns at the first visit were significantly more likely to share objects with their peers 6 months later. The finding suggests that general conversational competence and the particular ability to talk about the possession of objects may facilitate positive relations with peers.