Every parent wants to understand their child’s developmental stages, such as motor skills, language, socialization, and emotional development. But how much do we know, and how should we influence them in their early years?
The Yale University Child Development Institute, tracked the growth of thousands of children to help parents set realistic expectations of their child’s development. The findings offer guidance for parents in how to train and educate them in those first eight golden years, so they grow up healthy in body and mind.
The 8 vital years
One year old: develops a feeling of security
A child experiences setbacks and difficulties every day in the first year of life. The best thing for parents to do is play and be generous with their time and patience. Thus, they know that they are loved and are most precious to their parents. They will learn that everything in the world is beautiful, and they will cultivate a sense of trust and happiness in their lives.
Two years old: develops a sense of humor
The age of two is the best time to cultivate a child’s sense of humor. A sense of humor is essential for being charismatic and attractive to others. Humor helps the individual move beyond the self circle and connect with others. When others laugh, the child laughs.
At this age, parents should pay attention to expanding the child’s interests, adding humorous situations, and cultivating their sense of humor, which can also be a valuable tool to eliminate tension and distress.
Three years old: fosters creativity
Children’s creativity germinates when they are three years old. Their creativity grows out of their natural curiosity and liveliness. However, their maximum potential will be realized if there is an appropriate environment and ample opportunity for creative play.
Allow 3-year-olds to make up stories, draw pictures, and play in the mud. Giving them plenty of encouragement is an excellent way to cultivate creativity. Gardening, looking after pets, and taking 3-year-olds on regular outings are excellent ways to inspire their creativity.
Four years old: rapid growth in expressive language
Four-year-olds suddenly become very talkative. Parents shouldn’t laugh when they use incorrect words; otherwise, they may develop anxiety, a stutter, or even refuse to speak.
Four years old is also the age of questioning. These children have a thousand “whys,” partly out of the desire to learn, partly for fun, and can also be an expression of resistance. But, of course, the essential part of this is to seek knowledge, so it’s best if parents can try to satisfy their curiosity.
Five years old: the most intimate harmonious parent-child relationship
A 5-year-old child can control his or her behavior and create harmonious relationships with others. They particularly love their mothers; their favorite thing is to make their mothers happy. A mother’s words and attitude are the golden rules at this age; praise and recognition from the mother are critical.
Six years old: the most prominent inner conflicts
Six years old may be the year of the most conflicts with their parents. At five years old, a mother is the center of the world; at six years old, the child becomes the center of the world. While they are searching for their center point, they gradually become more mature and independent. They want to break the old balance and establish an independent kingdom of their own.
On the one hand, they love and need their mother, but on the other hand, they are eager to become independent, so they often push their mothers away.
Dad can play an essential role by providing a sense of balance — this can sate a lot of stress and tension.
Seven years old: begins to develop abstract thinking
Seven-year-olds tend to think of themselves as the center of the whole world and that anything that moves is alive.
With the development of abstract thinking, a child can see both the similarities and the differences between objects. For example, they can understand that changing the shape of the container does not change the amount it can hold; they also begin to understand the significance of numbers.
Eight years old: thinks with an active and keen mind
Eight-year-olds can start to resolve problems. They can use simple logic to reach conclusions and perform simple deductive reasoning.
An 8-year-old increasingly recognizes the objective force of nature and can display very keen thinking. In addition, a typical 8-year-old is very talkative and can distinguish fantasy from reality, another important milestone in cognitive development.
Finally, we need to remind parents and friends that children grow and develop at their own pace; their abilities will develop at the correct time, not according to anyone’s expectations. All children grow up at their own rate. Every child develops differently, so there are no “will” or “should” situations. Parents should teach and guide their children accordingly, which is most important.
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