Introduction
Emotions are feelings that people experience when they engage in interactions, which affect their well-being directly or indirectly (Graybeal, 1998). The significance of emotional traits is that they express how good or bad a situation is as per a person’s opinion. Emotions can be either positive or negative depending on the person affected. The emotions include joy, anxiety as well as sadness.
Emotions tend to provoke certain reactions and, therefore, it is hard to distinguish a genuine situation from the emotions. One of the key achievements of the development of a human being is the ability to overcome challenges by controlling his/her emotions.
Factors that affect emotional development
Human development is a process that progresses through various stages, which include self-development and interaction with other people. These processes are affected by different factors some of which are natural while others are environmental. In addition, people are different and unique due to variations in emotional development which occur in stages (Graybeal, 1998).
Growth in emotions provides a firm foundation for social development. The development of emotions gives one the ability to be empathetic to others, handle conflicts in the right way, and understand the importance of regulating emotions. Lack of development of emotions can lead to low self-esteem as well as low performance.
Some of the consequences of undeveloped emotions are chances of peer rejection, poor attachment, and involvement in criminal acts. Emotional challenges differ in the fact that those emotional problems that affect infant, adolescences, youth and adults and the aged are not the same (Wolfe, 1999). Various factors influence the development of emotions.
The factors are either biological, environmental or, a combination of both of them. Genetic influences and temperaments fall under the category of biological factors. Poverty and violence form the environmental factors. There are skills that help to control emotions like being aware of the state of one’s emotion and getting used to fighting negative emotions whenever they come using self-regulatory strategies (Madden, 2002).
Parent’s role in the development of healthy emotions
Teachers, peers, and elders can influence the development of children’s emotions until they are mature. At a young age, the minds learn how to interact with others through observation. It is important to put in mind that if your emotions are inappropriate then those who look upon you for their emotional development will adopt the same mistakes or problems.
It is also necessary to mind about the communication aspect as it is the main part of emotional development (Perry, 2002). This requires one to pass the best knowledge to those who rely on him or her for growth. This would help such people by playing the role of the emotionally challenged in preparing them for the difficult tasks.
Parents and all parties entrusted with taking care of the young ones determine acquisition of skills in the early stages of life (Madden, 2002). For the young disabled children who are at the risk of having slow development in emotions, care providers are required to offer emotional guidance that is appropriate and sensitive.
When children grow, the social-emotional behavior becomes more complex and it is the role of the parents and guardians to help them live independently. Teaching children by means of encouraging them to disclose anything that bothers them makes them aware that it is not happening to them only but it is a common problem. This will ease the burden in them, and make them have sense of self-belonging (Perry, 2002).
It is significant to have a strong emotional bond to enable one to interact freely without fear in order to create and maintain good relationship with others. This increases the ability to bond with others and develops a positive attitude towards future relationships. Healthy developed emotions are important in the fact that they help one to decide on the kind of friends to associate with all the time.
Disconnection from peer group exposes one to violence, isolation, and social withdrawal. Managing some internal urges like hunger, anger and fear may, as a result, take a long period.
The ability to handle these urges will depend on external regulation from parents while the growth will depend on the experience attained and ability of the mind to adopt them. People must socialize and work with others in order to assist one another where necessary (Perry, 2002).
The family is the first group to work with a growing child. Through sharing things and working with different minds, one feels valued. Consequently, the spirit of fear and lack of confidence to present oneself in front of others is reduced. In such relationships, one is being brought up knowing that there are differences between people.
For instance, he or she knows that people have different complexion when it comes to skin color, and that all of us have different characters and personalities. This helps in handling situations, for example, why some people are smart while others are not, or why some people are more beautiful than others (Crooks, Jaffe & Wolfe, 2006). Healthy emotional development is the backbone of any person.
References
Crooks, C., Jaffe, P., & Wolfe, D. (2006). Adolescent risk behaviors: why teens experiment and strategies to keep them safe. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Graybeal, J. (1998). The art of empowering children. Campbellsvillie: Empower Press.
Madden, K. (2002). Pagan parenting. Minnesota: Liewellyn Pulbications.
Perry, D. (2002). Core strengths for healthy child development. San Felipe: Houston.
Wolfe, D. (1999). Child abuse: Implications for child development and psychopathology (2nd Edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage.