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The growth, needs, and challenges of your child are different at each stage of their development. It’s important that the parenting strategies you employ should also shift according to what your child might need at each stage in order to keep up with their growth. This guide will give an overview of what developments to expect and how to address them.
Toddlers
Their physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects develop at a rapid pace. They also start developing motor skills that allow them to properly navigate and explore around the house. As they learn new language skills by observing how others around them interact, they’re also able to communicate what they want and need.
Parenting strategies at this age involve child-proofing and potty training.
Preschoolers
At this stage, you’ll see a huge social and emotional growth occur in your child. They will have a bit more control over their emotions and start showing interest in hobbies and interacting with other kids.
Their bodies also start to change around this age which means diets and sleeping habits become more important. One parenting strategy you can employ is by showing them how to take care of themselves.
School-Age Kids
When your child enters school, you’ll start to notice more drastic changes occurring. They start showing amazing progress in learning and start flourishing socially. This is also when they develop a lot more interests and hobbies and form closer bonds with their friends. However, this is also the age when they start becoming a bit more defiant.
It’s good to keep them healthy, even when they show resistance to it. Start teaching them the importance of looking after themselves and teach them new skills when you can.
Tweens
At this age, your child is somewhere between no longer being a kid but also not exactly a teenager yet. This is where puberty begins, and a wide range of development starts to show.
Tweens these days are highly dependent on technology. Make sure to establish rules to keep them safe while scrolling through the internet but also not make them feel like they’re being restricted. Good nutrition and health is also important to maintain.
Teens
This is when they start showing a lot more maturity. They gain better control over themselves and are more than ready to handle any responsibilities.
The teen years can be quite stressful for a parent. It’s important to be there for your teen when they ask for advice or any help and show support whenever they need it.
