According to child experts, although certain traits, abilities, and a general temperament is already pre-wired in each child, the biggest influencer that determines and forms the characteristics of a child is his interaction with the adults that surround him – in most cases, his parents.
Parents face a huge responsibility as their kids go through the developmental stages. Thus, every parent should be in tune with the developmental stages their kids are going through so they can provide the right level of support, influence, and guidance as their kids grow. Knowledge of the developmental stages can help them determine what kinds of parenting skills are needed for each stage.
Stage One: Infancy (0-2 years)
Raising a baby is a huge overwhelming responsibility, but it is also fun and full of wonderful moments as you watch your baby achieve milestones. Your interaction with your baby can determine the foundation of your bond with him. Every baby is unique, so there is no certain technique in parenting that will work for everyone. However, there are two main things that parents of babies should focus on:
- To let the baby feel loved and supported
- To develop self-esteem
Over the years, experts have also found a lot of information that may help, such as how babies really think, how they learn, and so on. To access this information, you may want to pick up some parenting books from the bookstore.
Stage 2: Toddlers and preschoolers (2-5 years)
When a child begins walking on his own, that marks the beginning of a new stage in his development. Babies who can roam around on their own are no longer infants, but are already called toddlers, a transition stage as your baby becomes a child. Soon he will start attending preschool.
At this stage, the responsibilities of parents increase in size. He will now be exploring, making inquiries, and letting his inner curiosity get the best of him. It is the responsibility of the parents to guide him in his explorations, explain things to him, and teach him more about his surroundings.
This stage is an important stage, as it is comprised with rapid physical and intellectual development.
The most important parenting skills during this time are those that are concerned with:
- Encouragement
- Offering support
- Offering guidance
- Instilling basic learning skills
Stage 3: Childhood or school-age children (6-12 years)
Once your child goes to school, it is yet another milestone that ushers them into a new stage in their development. This is a fun time for both children and parents. At this stage, children will be gathering as many experiences as they can, and they will also be making progress in their learning. It will therefore be fun to watch your kids play sports, do their homework, participate in school, and so on.
A parent’s role in this stage of a child’s development includes:
- Cheering them on
- Applauding their accomplishments (strengths)
- Accepting their weaknesses
- Teaching them to deal with their weaknesses
- Guiding them
Since school-age children are now more independent, the job of a parent becomes easier, but it doesn’t mean that their responsibilities become lesser. As a matter of fact, they have more responsibilities at this age.
Also, since this is the time when children start interacting with the world around them, it is the parents’ responsibility to guide them in these interactions. Parents should therefore also try to develop parenting skills that revolve around:
- Teaching of self-control
- Making choices/decisions
- Disciplining kids
- Imparting a moral code that children has to follow
- Imparting the concept of consequences
This is also a time of intense intellectual development.
In line with this, parents also have separate responsibilities:
- Encourage them to keep learning
- Teach them
- Find opportunities that will stimulate their learning
Stage 4: Adolescence (13 and older)
As the teen years come, your child will make the transition from being a child to being an adult. The teen years can often be challenging for both the teen and his/her parents. Some teens have a hard time at this age, mainly because this stage is full of changes in all aspects of life: socially, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Thus, the role of the parent is more important than ever. Unfortunately, many teens resist their parents’ intervention, and with the influence from outside the home, some teens can be prone to misbehavior.
The most important things parents should focus on at this time are:
- Family relationships
- Open communication between parents and kids
- Encouragement in the activities the teen is involved in
- Reassurance and building confidence as the teen goes through the self-conscious stage
As teens slide into the latter part of their teen years, it gets easier for the whole family. Parents, however, have to be there every step of the way and need to constantly develop their own parenting skills so they can provide for their children’s changing needs.
