| MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Katy C. Merrell, MEd. |
| January 2008 On Balance, Belonging, and Being Adventurous |
One of the most interesting theories in Child
Development is that of Eric Erikson’s stages of
psychosocial development. Erikson proposed that we
work through one major task during each “stage” of
our lives, from infancy to old age. He quite strikingly
suggests that only during early childhood (ages 3-
6) are we working on TWO major psychosocial
tasks. In infancy the major task is to develop Trust
(bonding). Toddlers, of course, are working on
Autonomy (they want to explore everything).
Preschoolers are working on BELONGING (learning
to function in social groups and make friends) AND
INITIATIVE (learning to take healthy risks). It is
so important to have a strong sense of both in order
to face the task of Industry (feeling capable and
competent) that looms large in the years from six to
eleven!
While the notion of belonging seems easy to
understand and encourage in children, the idea of
initiative can be more daunting. This is where the
concept of balance comes in to play. In all of life it
is so important to keep things in balance. With young
children we must be very careful to encourage their
creative efforts and interests and challenge them
just enough without nagging and pressuring them to
Development is that of Eric Erikson’s stages of
psychosocial development. Erikson proposed that we
work through one major task during each “stage” of
our lives, from infancy to old age. He quite strikingly
suggests that only during early childhood (ages 3-
6) are we working on TWO major psychosocial
tasks. In infancy the major task is to develop Trust
(bonding). Toddlers, of course, are working on
Autonomy (they want to explore everything).
Preschoolers are working on BELONGING (learning
to function in social groups and make friends) AND
INITIATIVE (learning to take healthy risks). It is
so important to have a strong sense of both in order
to face the task of Industry (feeling capable and
competent) that looms large in the years from six to
eleven!
While the notion of belonging seems easy to
understand and encourage in children, the idea of
initiative can be more daunting. This is where the
concept of balance comes in to play. In all of life it
is so important to keep things in balance. With young
children we must be very careful to encourage their
creative efforts and interests and challenge them
just enough without nagging and pressuring them to
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| “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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NORFOLK CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, 23 Union St., Norfolk, MA 02056 508-528-1970
Copyright 2008 Norfolk Children's School
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Website Design by Karma Communications
always do a little better. I think of a young boy I knew a couple of years ago who was
very bright and quite capable, but who worried so much that what he did or said might
not measure up to his parents’ expectations- he hardly ever took a healthy risk. It was
as if no matter what he did it was never good enough.
Some of my favorite quotes are by Thomas Edison (about inventing the light bulb); ”I
have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that don’t work” and “I am not discouraged,
because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” When all your
children reach college and the working world beyond, they will find that a most prized
asset is the ability to use information to think creatively, problem solve, and invent or
discover. A person only gets to be that kind of thinker if he/she becomes very
comfortable with the notion that making mistakes is part of learning. Taking healthy
risks, being willing to try, even if you might fail, what a precious gift to encourage in
our children. They need; room to try, to know there is a great deal of success in just
trying, and encouragement for the little successes along the way!! I will leave you with
one last quote from James Joyce, one that has been hanging on my youngest son’s
bedroom wall for about ten years; “MISTAKES ARE THE PORTALS OF DISCOVERY”
To discovery…respectfully, Katy Carrese Merrell MEd.
very bright and quite capable, but who worried so much that what he did or said might
not measure up to his parents’ expectations- he hardly ever took a healthy risk. It was
as if no matter what he did it was never good enough.
Some of my favorite quotes are by Thomas Edison (about inventing the light bulb); ”I
have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that don’t work” and “I am not discouraged,
because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” When all your
children reach college and the working world beyond, they will find that a most prized
asset is the ability to use information to think creatively, problem solve, and invent or
discover. A person only gets to be that kind of thinker if he/she becomes very
comfortable with the notion that making mistakes is part of learning. Taking healthy
risks, being willing to try, even if you might fail, what a precious gift to encourage in
our children. They need; room to try, to know there is a great deal of success in just
trying, and encouragement for the little successes along the way!! I will leave you with
one last quote from James Joyce, one that has been hanging on my youngest son’s
bedroom wall for about ten years; “MISTAKES ARE THE PORTALS OF DISCOVERY”
To discovery…respectfully, Katy Carrese Merrell MEd.