This discussion of the emotional development of young children is structured upon Erik Erikson's schemata of psycho-social development. Stage 1, which involves trust versus mistrust, includes references to Erikson's theory and the work of Melanie Klein, Berry Brazelton, Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas, John Bowlby, Anthony Stevens, and D. W. Winnicott. Stage 2, which covers autonomy versus shame and doubt, emphasizes the intensity of toddlers' feelings. There is a brief discussion of the emotional consequences of toilet training that is too early and too rigid on the acquisition of a self rooted in self-trust. Stage 3, which deals with initiative versus guilt, discusses antecedents of these feelings, children's invention of imaginary companions, and children's experiences of anxiety, fears, and phobias during the toddler and preschool years. Stage 4, which focuses on the development of industry versus inferiority during the primary school years, stresses the importance of parental love in helping children meet the challenges of school life and in dealing with the strange methods children devise to attract attention. It is concluded that each person adapts and adjusts to his or her environment in accordance with innate abilities, personal style, and the help of parents, siblings, teachers, and friends. (RH)