ABSTRACT
Thirdly, the early family environment provides opportunities for learning the skills of making and maintaining relationships with others. The child learns to be consistent; to express and to respond to the affectionate behaviour of others; to control or to conceal his aggressiveness. The parents have both an active part and a passive one to play in the transmission of these skills. Their own behaviour towards the child and to each other is a model for him to copy. By observation and imitation he learns from them to distinguish normal modes of communication and response from those which may evoke irritation or hostility in others. But probably the most valuable help which the parents can give is in furnishing the kind of social environment in which the child wants to take an active part in relationships with others, and is so motivated to acquire the skills he needs for doing so.
