Allow your child to do some things like self-feeding independently. Acknowledge their new emerging skills and ability to do things independently. Use pronouns to describe the actions. For example, when your child is self-feeding, say, “Oh good! You are feeding yourself!” New Jersey Council for Young Children. (2013). New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from: https://www.nj.gov/education/ece/guide/standards/birth/standard s.pdf Hay, D.F. (2006). Yours and mine: Toddlers' talk about possessions with familiar peers British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24-39-52. DOI:10.1348/026151005X68880 (Level IV)
Self-awareness develops in tandem with language skills. Children who have greater self-awareness of their abilities are more confident and have better self-esteem.
A study on the use of possessive pronouns was carried out with 66 British toddlers. Researchers observed the toddlers in their homes over two visits 6 months apart when toddlers turned 18, 24 or 30 months. The study showed that the ability to use possessive pronouns (such as "mine"), which emerges between 18 and 24 months, unfolded when children developed the concept of self and other. The use of possessive pronouns was initially associated with physical aggression.
However, children who used possessive pronouns at the first visit were significantly more likely to share objects with their peers 6 months later. The finding suggests that general conversational competence and the particular ability to talk about the possession of objects may facilitate positive relations with peers.