A nurse is providing anticipatory guidance to the parents of a 6-year-old who just started first grade. The parents report the child has begun arguing about rules, insisting on fairness, and frequently says 'that's not fair!' when consequences are applied. They ask if this behavior is normal and how they should respond. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?
- This behavior is more characteristic of adolescence; the parents should have the child evaluated for advanced cognitive development.
- Children this age should understand and follow rules without questioning them; the parents should increase disciplinary consequences each time the child argues.
- This behavior is typical for this age; children aged 5–7 are developing a strong sense of rules and fairness, so maintaining consistent, firm boundaries while validating the child's feelings is recommended.
- This behavior is concerning for oppositional defiant disorder and the child should be referred to a child psychiatrist for evaluation.