The Preliminary Stages Of Your Child’s Development
As a giggling baby grows into an excitable toddler, it is important to identify the milestones of your child’s development and the steps you can take to guide your child towards them effectively. Most often than not, parents pressurize their children, even at a very young age, to excel at whatever they put their little hands to. While ensuring that your child develops healthily physically, mentally and psychologically, it is important to note that not every child learns and progresses at the same pace. Therefore, it may actually hinder your child’s progress if you force them into too many activities, especially at such a tender age.
Encouragement, warmth and affection are very important during this period of your child’s life. It is also important to establish moral values, right and wrong, what to do and what not to do and manners at this age. However, these should not be forced on the children. Parents should bring about these aspects of general lifestyle in small ways; one being encouraging interaction with other children. This gives you the opportunity to teach your child how to treat other children, simply by correcting them gently and leading by example. Harsh reprimanding may hinder your child’s progress psychologically and may also affect your relationship with your child. Storybooks and child-friendly television shows and cartoons are also excellent ways of helping your child develop. In addition to education, this is an important part of early learning. Parents are urged to remember that intellectual progress is not the only factor in a child’s development and a child’s emotional quotient should also be taken into consideration.
Many institutions have started up which encourage the ‘play-group’ concept, which starts children off in an interactive atmosphere as early as one and a half years. This is to ease the children into the learning process. Once a child has reached the age of three, they are admitted into kindergarten Killara, where they will now start to learn the alphabet, numbers and will get the basic foundation of an education. The child will also be presented with the opportunity to take part in concerts, plays etc, which will develop a range of skills and help children to develop a sense of confidence. It is at this stage that your child will be given the opportunity to define their likes and dislikes and develop their own personality.
It is also advisable that new parents seek advice from child psychologists and professionals in child development, especially if there are concerns regarding child development and behavior.