Jealousy in Children
Jealousy is an emotional response to the loss of a meaningful relationship. Children and adults both feel jealousy, but differ in the cause, experience and reactions to the threatened bond that has been or is in danger of being lost.
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Causes
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Jealousy in children is, like adults, brought on by a threatened relationship. However, children's relationships are often limited to parents and siblings. A new sibling may cause a child to feel that a relationship with the mother is in danger. An adult's new spouse creates similar threats to a parent/child relationship.
Theories/Speculation
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Anthropologists, psychologists and other scientists disagree about where jealousy originates. Arguments state that jealousy is a cultural phenomenon and that some cultures do not experience this emotion, while research by Riccardo Draghi-Lorenz shows that 5-month-old infants feel a form of jealousy, prompting the theory that jealousy is a natural emotion.
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Types
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Children express jealousy in different ways, depending on the individual. One child may react with aggressive behavior, while another becomes depressed and quiet. Children may act out by deliberately breaking rules, or become too attached and clingy.
Function
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Ties and emotional bonds between children and parents are natural, to ensure survival. Jealousy and reactions serve to protect the child from losing (even in perception) an important person on whom the child depends.
Prevention/Solution
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Understand and talk to your child if he becomes jealous. Depending on how the child reacts (angry or sad), a different approach will need to be taken. Talking and showing him that you still love and care will create better results than yelling and punishment.
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