Initiative vs. guilt is the third psychosocial stage created by Erik Erickson along with his wife Joan Erickson.
Initiative vs. guilt is stage 3, when a child is 3-6 years old. The virtue of PURPOSE is the goal. Family is the most significant relationship. The "existential question" is 'Is it okay for me to do, move and act?' The events during this stage are exploring, using tools, making art, playing with toys, becoming curious about all things new.
This is a fun stage. The child is active, on the move, planning and completing tasks. The child wants to begin and end actions with a purpose. According to Erickson, the child may feel "guilt" if the effort does not produce desired results.
The child exercises courage and independence, faces complexity and uses judgement. The child exerts leadership and develops a sense of judgment. The child may also take some risks like climbing something high or riding a kiddie roller coaster.
A child this age expresses frustrations - yelling, crying, stomping, throwing things if things don't go according to plan. Yet sometimes they try to undertake activies too complex for them. Encourage the child by teaching or simplifying a task for success!
Chores for 3-6 year olds include getting ingredients out of the refrigerator when an adult is cooking, matching socks from the laundry, picking up toys, watering plants.
In reflecting on the last 3 psychosocial stages, I cannot help but think about the "negative" feelings the child experiences. Mistrust, shame & doubt, guilt. Erickson argues this is due to some mistaken response by the parent and negative interpretation by the child referred to as an "event."
Interestingly, these are the base emotions that begin to layer in because we are separated from GOD due to sin. Whether our parents, give us a lot or a little, our hearts know something is missing.
Romans 3: 23-24 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Yes, we FALL SHORT from the very beginning.
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