Every Age a Different Stage

Like the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes.” If you don’t like the stage your child is in wait a year. However, just as the bitter cold of a snow covered winter wonderland gives way to the soggy, muddy mess of new life in spring, each stage comes with its own set of pleasures and problems. After a few months in the new stage, you may decide this stage wasn’t so bad after all. For all of the disadvantages of infancy, constant care, immobility, ear splitting communication; the advantages far outweigh them; cuddly, stays put until you move them, look angelic in their sleep (thankfully this part grows with them.) And the same can be said of one year olds, two year olds and beyond.

 

Each age holds its own unique stage, and the old maxim is very true—they will grow out of it with good, responsible parenting.

 

While children will eventually grow out of these stages here are a few tips to help both you and your child deal with trials associated with each phase:

 

1. Assess if your child is behaving childishly or defiantly. Childish behavior while sometimes irritating is behavior appropriate for the age of your child. Defiant behavior is willful and destructive and needs to be corrected immediately and consistently.

 

2. Constantly affirm your love for your child through your actions and your words. Children from 0-99 need to know they are loved. Communicating this to your child in a way they understand is crucial to developing a healthy self-image in your child. Children need to not only hear the words, but also need to see and feel your love. If you are always telling your child “I love you,” but never once give them a hug or playfully muss their hair or kiss their cheek your child may not believe you. If you hug your child, but never attend a school program or read them a book or carefully look at a well designed school project, they will seriously question if you mean what you say and do.

 

3. Always remember this particular stage will pass with age and training. With one foot firmly planted in the here and now, look ahead to the future. The hours of training, teaching, loving, cuddling, scolding, holding, trying, and crying mold your child into a responsible adult. Child rearing could be the single most difficult task you ever do and the results are years in the making, but there is no more rewarding job.

 

4. Surround yourself with others at the same stage of life. In this way, you will know that you are not alone. I am comforted when I see other people’s kids acting naughty in the same way my child does. Not that I want people to have naughty children, but it is a comfort to know—kids will misbehave in certain ways and while inappropriate, it is normal.

Enjoying so many stages as I live, love, and laugh,

Lori

 

 

 

 

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com