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Chapter 7 Middle Childhood: Growth and Development
Family Relationships
What are family relationships like at this stage? In general, children
want to please others, especially their parents and other adults. They
respond well to established expectations and family rules. Tattling
on others is a common way to attract adult attention. Given clear
instructions, they are also very capable of completing simple household
tasks (Figure 7.8).
Relationships with siblings vary from helpfulness to arguments,
depending on their mood. Boys tend to have more physical fights than
girls do.
Self-Concept
Self-concept is a person’s own assessment or view of himself or
herself. The basis of self-concept is an evaluation of personal abilities,
successes, failures, and comments from other people. Childhood is a
critical time for developing self-concept. Those who see themselves
Figure 7.8 Young children are capable of helping with family tasks and are eager to please
their parents or guardians.