"This is when children ask, am I good or bad?"
~Eric Erikson
Eric Erikson was a psychoanalyst who studied and identified the developmental progression of humans in specific stages of life. His work is known as Erikson's Developmental Stages. During the Initiative versus Guilt stage, (ages 4-5), your child develops a sense of purpose and if successful and praised, he or she builds confidence. But if the child repeatedly hears criticism or punishment for failing, the result is a sense of guilt and self-doubt.
Physical Development
Age 4: Your child’s physical development will include a wide range of skills like the advanced ability to kick a ball, jump, run, play interactive games, steer a tricycle, walk on beams, and climb stairs and trees. Your 4-year-old will continue to grow in their fine motor skills during art activities, puzzles, or tasks that require hand and eye coordination. They will also improve in their ability to dress- i.e., button their jacket and insist on independence.
Age 5: Your child will demonstrate increased coordination and balance like standing on one leg, riding a bicycle, and hand-eye coordination. Their interests in outdoor activities will also increase to include playing a sport and more risky fun like climbing monkey bars or trees. Their coordination will also improve via dancing or rhythmic movements. Their fine motor skills will also increase skill with more advanced art supplies and will more than likely insist on full independence in the clothing of self.
Cognitive development
Age 4: Your little one will now begin to understand numbers by counting up to 20, yet continues to be limited in understanding the value of numbers. He will also demonstrate a grasp of tenses and talk about an activity he did in the past tense. She will show an increase not only in her vocabulary but also in sentence structure. And even though they may tell you about an action or behavior they did, however, their mind remains very fluid between what is reality and what is their imagination.
Age 5: At this stage, he will recognize that reality and imagination are separate, her language will expand and she will remember with greater frequency words in a book. They will also display greater interest in humor and understanding -i.e. Laugh at a joke. They will demonstrate skill in understanding correct proportions: such as a hand being smaller than the arm.
Social and Emotional Development
Age 4: Your sweet child will now exhibit great ability towards empathy and want to provide comfort if a peer is in distress. Perhaps share a toy with said peer, hug them, and feel sad if a peer is crying. He will also demonstrate that he enjoys playing with peers and is less inclined towards parallel play. Although she will show a strong desire to do things independently, she will continue to seek comfort via hugs and cuddles.
Age 5: Your 5-year-old will now demonstrate preferences more readily, for example: “I don’t like orange juice, I like apple juice!” He will be able to concentrate for longer periods and therefore you may notice the ability to stay focused on an art activity or story for an extended time than the year before. She will also display an increase in empathy and a willingness to comfort peers in distress.
Practical things to apply in your parenting during this time: Provide your child with age-appropriate tools that they can manage with their current fine motor skills, like appropriate-sized crayons, toys, or books. Provide ongoing age-appropriate examples of helping, like putting their child's plate or cup in a cubby their height. Encourage your child to use their imagination outdoors as well as indoor play. Continue to provide him or her with consistent schedules like regular bedtime hours, putting away their toys, breakfast/lunch/dinner hours, and expectations like reading a book with them at bedtime. Regularly check in with them, to let them know that their feelings are important. And encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings, by making it a normal and healthy part of your bond with them. Cheer them on in their efforts to grow in their skills or when trying new things (age-appropriate to their abilities). When they seem overwhelmed in trying, let them know they did their best and continue to give them love and support.
As your children continue to explore his and her world, and master independence, do your best to take time out for your self-care. Your child’s increased resolve to independently do things without your help, can and will often feel exhausting and emotionally draining. Remember they are trying to understand how they fit into this new world and need your patience, guidance, and love to remain safe and protected from harm. Words of encouragement, constant but gentle reminders, and consistency on your part will provide them with a secure space to develop their skills and feel good about themselves.
For more tips, please check out our other tips here (add link: https://www.plantationcounseling.com/blog). You can always find us at 954-903-1676 for counseling services.
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