Understanding Children During the Developing Stage
Child development expert Jean Piaget stated that children think differently than grown-ups. This simple discovery by the Swiss psychologist changed the entire world’s outlook, especially on how adults dealt with children. Consequently, childhood development psychology emerged as a new branch and attracted attention worldwide. Thanks to years of research by child development experts, we now know that early childhood (the first eight years of a kid’s life) is a critical period for brain development. It is also closely linked to children’s physical, mental, emotional, and social growth.
It becomes essential to understand how we treat them, before which parents must know them fully and observe them without any prejudices and prior experiences.
Here are a few ways to understand children better to help them grow into strong and independent individuals:
1) Careful Observation
Observing children’s actions, talk, expressions, or behaviours can help us read their temper. E.g., a child who is always keen to feed the stray, water the plants, or share their toys is naturally empathetic and kind. Parents must compliment their children more often when they see their children engage in compassionate acts, which boosts their morale and encourages them to perform such actions more often.
2) Question-answering
Acknowledging children’s questions makes them feel loved and respected and shows them that their opinion matters. Likewise, asking them questions helps adults understand their likes, dislikes, interests etc. It also gives insight into how social they are, if they can adjust to changing environments, the subjects they like reading, etc.
However, instead of asking closed-ended questions like “Did you like the dinner?” that warrant “yes-no” answers, we should ask open-ended questions like “What was the best thing about today’s dinner?” or “What colours did you see on your plate today?”. It encourages them to think, recall, and then come up with answers and also helps us understand what’s going on in their minds.
3) Spending Quality Time
To understand children better, making time for them is essential. Observing a fun family tradition like hosting a weekend brunch, discussing favourite TV shows or music, playing games, or simply lying outside in the sun, etc., are experiences that children cherish for life.
4) Giving Individual Attention
Giving just ten minutes of attention, or “special time,” is a great way to build a long-term relationship with children. Undivided focus makes little ones feel validated, safe and loved and growing up, they develop similar quality such that in every situation, active listening becomes a part of their lifestyle, which otherwise need to be consciously taught as a skill.
Factors Influencing Child Development
The prominent factors influencing child development are as follows.
1) Social Environment
Peers, family and social exposure all influence how toddlers think, learn and perceive the world.
2) Culture
How a child lives, the customs or rituals they follow, the manners they observe, the interests they pursue, etc., affect their values, ethics and assumptions. Culture can influence an individual’s development in life.
3) Economic Status
Tots raised in households with a decent income have comparatively greater access to growth opportunities than those who struggle to achieve quality nutrition and health care. Poverty, prejudice and discrimination can adversely affect a child’s psychology and behaviour.
4) Education
There is nothing that cannot be fixed by good education. Exposure, appropriate mentorship, and access to quality educational content expand knowledge and build critical life skills. It can empower a child to think beyond cultural, social, or economic contexts and constructively reshape their personality, thought process, values and ethics.
Did you know? The education received at a good school can give your child an early start in life.
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