Your child responds to the world around him and to internal stimuli such as hunger, thirst or pain. His stage of development strongly influences the way he behaves. As a toddler he has temper tantrums as he tries to establish his independence. With limited language skills he cannot argue or explain, so says, "no!" and screams. His behavior reflects his physical, emotional, linguistic and intellectual abilities as he grows towards maturity.
Identification
A virtuous circle builds up between your child's development and behavior. Your new baby does what she has to do to survive by reflex action. Her crying demands your attention so you feed her, change her diaper or dress her more warmly. As pathways multiply between the nerve cells in her brain, she learns to roll over, kick, coo and smile. In turn, according to Growing Child these actions encourage more neural pathways in her brain, leading to further development of her motor skills, language development and social awareness.
Baby and Toddler
During his first three years, your child develops dramatically, keeping you on your toes as he tries out his new abilities. At 12 months of age, he finds his developing fine motor skills allow him to bang things together so he makes as much noise as possible. As a toddler with rapidly improving motor skills, he may run off exuberantly. He understands more language than he can produce and he cannot think through the consequences of his actions so he needs you to keep an eye on him.
Preschooler
Your preschooler's delight in her strengthening muscles and physical skills can lead to over excitable, aggressive play, according to the U.S. Department of Education website ED.gov. She learns to share and take turns, realizing that other children have thoughts and feelings of their own. Trying to make sense of the wider world and with a newly active imagination, she may become scared of dark places or invent an imaginary friend. She uses her more sophisticated language skills to ask a multitude of questions for you to answer.
Middle Childhood
Your school age child enjoys increasing independence from his family and he is learning to think for himself. He plays with other children and sees the wider world through the internet and TV. These developments combine to introduce him to a wide range of behaviors. As he tests out the adult world of authority, some of his behaviors may worry you. Now you need to decide which actions you can allow and which are unacceptable. Act quickly to stop lying, stealing, damaging property or harming himself, advises MedLine Plus.
Teen Years
Your adolescent teen copes with rapid physical and psychological growth as a result of hormonal changes. Moving towards adulthood, she wants to shock her parents, according to KidsHealth. To avoid constant conflict, it may be wise to concentrate your objections on serious behaviors, such as drug and alcohol abuse, rather than worrying too much about hairstyles and fashion.
Expert Insight
Over 22% of American children suffer from obesity, according to the University of Kansas Department of Psychology writing on their website. Obese children often fall prey to depression and behavior problems. Avoid using food as a reward for your child and make sure he spends time active and away from the TV, to help him avoid getting too heavy.
