Baby Steps | Τα μαγικά στάδια ανάπτυξης του παιδιού
Baby Steps | The amazing stages of child development
This guide will help to deepen your understanding of how babies and young children develop from birth to 5 years old. If we consistently understand what babies and children do and what parents need for their children at every stage of development, we can design, provide and recommend the right toys, products and clothing at the right stage. Even if we have had our own children it’s easy to forget. Although this guide contains information within age groups, please do remember that child development is not a regimented or fixed process as all babies make their development journey at their own pace. For example, what we might regard as the ‘normal’
stage for walking, occurs on average at 13 months. But it’s also perfectly normal for a baby to walk at 9 months or at 16 months and beyond. Babies tend to also arrive in the world with a particular temperament, and although these categories are not an absolute – babies do change as they grow and develop. It does give parents an idea about how different siblings can be in temperament yet still receive the same loving care within the same family. Two psychiatrists Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas found the babies they studied fell into four groups:
• Easy babies – about 40% established a routine pretty quickly, slept regular hours and reacted positively to new experiences.
• Difficult babies – about 10% fell into this group. Slow to develop any routine. As soon as one regular pattern developed, the next day it would change. Slept well one night but not necessarily the next. Difficult babies tended to cry a lot and resist new experiences and were upset by change.
• Slow to warm up – about 15% withdrew from strangers and were not keen on new experiences. Less irritable than the difficult babies but still hard work. Had to be coaxed into new experiences.
• The remaining 35% shared two or three characteristics of these basic types – maybe easy in some circumstances and difficult in others. Therefore, it’s reassuring for families to know that it’s not always their style of parenting that’s at fault in any way, it’s sometimes just the temperament of the child. Parents who are tuned into their child’s temperament and who can recognise their child’s strengths will find life more enjoyable.
And lastly do remember the basic needs of what all babies (and children) require to thrive and develop:
Emotional and educational needs
• Care, love and respect
• Time together with caring loving adult/s
• Encouragement, reassurance and praise
• Education, play and stimulation e.g. talking and reading together
• Loving guidance and discipline
Physical needs
• Clothing and warmth
• Space to safely explore
• Shelter, safety and supervision
• Good hygiene
• Medical and dental care
• Good food and nutrition
• Adequate rest and exercise
Information per age
In these 8 ξunique sections you can read all the amazing stages of child development from birth to 5 years old.
In each stage you can learn more about what babies can do, routine and parenting and what items are required at the specific stage.
Reading these will guide you through amazing experience called parenting.
Baby
Toddler
Children
