Hidden message

Children have limited language to express themselves and also often don't understand why they feel the way they do - so playworkers need to try to discover what a child's behaviour is really telling them, says Andrea Clifford-Poston What is the difference between 'a little terror' and 'a naughty child'? A little terror is likely to inspire affection in adults and be treated leniently, whereas a naughty child is likely to make adults want to punish him, and be distant from him. How we view children's behaviour colours our reaction to it and two playworkers may see the same child completely differently. There are risks to seeing a child as both a little terror and as irredeemably naughty. The little terror may get a kinder response from adults, and he may feel close to them, but he may not learn a more appropriate way of communicating his needs. He may simply learn to rely on being charmingly defiant - very effective for a five-year-old but less so for a 12-year-old. The child seen as naughty faces a bigger muddle. He is likely to feel rejected by adults, just at the time he is needing to feel closest to them.