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Child Development - The Seven-Year Old
The Seven-Year Old at Home

From , former About.com Guide

Building Character

Seven has many wonderful character traits. He is polite, sympathetic, affectionate, and cooperative. He is proud of his family and loves to hear stories about when mom and dad were children. He has more empathy for others and is less selfish. Seven has developed more self-control and emotional stability.

At seven, the child becomes more introverted and thoughtful. This is a developmental progression that leads to the perception of the psychological self around age eight. This year, he is simply thinking about things, worrying and planning and sorting out all of the experiences that he has encountered since kindergarten. He is fearful about his ability to so succeed at new things at school and about his acceptance by other kids.

Seven can handle losing better than last year; and lying, cheating, and stealing diminish considerably. Parents should definitely confront these behaviors now to ensure the child understands that they are wrong. Consequences for lying, cheating, and stealing might range from social disapproval with a lecture, removal of privileges, and restitution. Be consistent to extinguish these negative character traits.

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Child Development - The Seven-Year Old

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