“I want it—now!”: How children learn self-control

We see it all the time. A child “acting up,” making a fuss in his stroller, or rolling on the floor bawling, because he wants something he is not getting. The bystanders are typically embarrassed by the situation, either assuming the parent is irresponsible for not attending to their child, or that the child is just an inherent nightmare. But where does child self-control come from?