Raising your child may be one of the most precious rewards a parent can experience. As a parent and child, there will be ups and downs, but this is normal as all families experience similar situations in one way or another. Your child will love you unconditionally, through good times and bad. Your child's pediatrician may also give helpful advice to help you and your child cope with certain situations.
First Year Development
During your child's first few months, she will learn to hold and support her own head, follow objects with her eyes and hold objects with her hands. Babies who are 3 to 6 months of age will begin to drool, laugh and become upset if a toy is taken away from her. Slightly older babies, 7 to 9 months of age, will begin to sit without support, reach for toys that are out of reach and begin to crawl. Babies who are 10 to 12 months old will begin to sit by falling on their bottom and begin to walk by holding onto furniture as well as turn pages of a book.
Toddlers 1 to 2 Years of Age
Toddlers between 1 and 2 years of age are in that fun defiant stage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Your toddler may begin to act out when he doesn't get his way, but he is also becoming more mobile and aware of his surroundings. At this age, he will begin to explore new things and become very interested in people. He will also begin to mimic older children and adults. He can also recognize himself in pictures as well as when he sees himself in the mirror.
Toddlers 2 to 3 Years of Age
Around 2 to 3 years of age, your toddler will begin to seek more independence, according to the CDC. At this age, your toddler will begin to develop social skills, sort objects by color and shape as well as express a wide range of emotions. Your child will also have the ability to follow two- or three-phase commands such as, "Pick up toys."
Preschoolers 3 to 5 Years of Age
Preschool aged children develop even more independence and begin to focus on children and adults who are not part of the family, such as her day care teacher. She will also become more curious about her surroundings and ask questions about them. This is a very important age for her to develop her personality and individual ways of thinking, according to the CDC. The way she interacts with others will help her make decisions about her personal actions and the way she thinks.
Middle Childhood 6 to 8 Years of Age
By 6 to 8 years old, your child should be able to easily dress himelf, throw and catch a ball and tie his own shoes. You will also begin to notice that your child is beginning to develop friendships with peers at school or close neighbors. By the age of 6, your child should be in kindergarten and, according to the CDC, his mental skills will develop rapidly between 6 and 8 years of age.
References
- American Pregnancy Association: First Year Development: Infant Development
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Toddlers (1-2 years old)
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Toddlers (2-3 years old)
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Preschoolers (3-5 years old)
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Middle Childhood (6-8 years old)
