According to Maria Montessori, children naturally gravitate towards activities that are beneficial for their psychic development.
A sensitive period is a time when a child can very quickly and with pleasure learn a particular character. The role of the parent is to identify these phases in order to offer the child an appropriate environment and activities.
During the period sensitive to social life, the child explores the links between human beings, his relationships with others and the exercise of his rights. He also begins to take an interest in the needs and rights of others.
This sensitive period is divided into two sub-periods:
First, the child imitates the actions of the adults around him . By reproducing the social behaviors of the older ones, he tries to understand them. For example, when he sees his parents laughing, he will also laugh, even if he does not fully understand what is happening. He pretends to talk on the phone, he wears high-heeled shoes ... The distinctive signs of the child 's entry into this sensitive period are as follows: he wants to act alone and he wants to play with other children .
The child learns through experience. It is therefore by observing adults acting and by imitating them that he learns the customs of the society in which he lives. Thus, he becomes aware of the acts that one can do or not, politeness, greetings. He assimilates the mores of his time and his social environment.
To facilitate this important passage in the development of the child , it is important to let him spend time with adults. Therefore, include him in the group, isolate him as little as possible. The child observes absolutely everything we do . We must therefore be attentive and embody the example that we wish to pass on to him.
For example, while a child can be taught to say " hello ," when we meet someone , in reality, seeing us do it every day is even more effective. If we behave badly in front of the child , it is necessary to apologize and explain our faults to him. Similarly, when the child behaves in a brutal or authoritarian way, take the time to calmly explain to him why this is not an appropriate reaction. In addition, let's ask him questions about the reasons that led him to act this way, let's teach him to put his emotions into words .
" Always treat the child with the utmost politeness and offer him the best of what you have ." Maria Montessori
Moreover, the child will flourish in his social development if his environment is stable, that is to say punctuated by habits and small rituals.
The school is also an essential place in his learning of social life.
Finally, in a second phase, a few years later, when the child has assimilated these social norms, he will then be able to discover and explore his own social role. In particular, he will learn about self-control.
Sources:
- https://www.mes-jeux-educatifs.fr/blog/montessori-periode-sensible-comportement-social.htm
- https://montessori-neokids.fr/actualites/la-periode-sensible-a-la-vie-sociale/
- https://mamanorange.fr/2017/09/06/quelques-longs-mots-periodes-sensibles-de-lenfant-12/