If you’re like most parents, the daily acts of getting your child to school and collecting them from aftercare, then feeding, bathing, and getting them to bed are enough to exhaust you. The thought of having to connect with them on a deeper level is a little out of reach. But experts explain that having an understanding of your child’s developmental milestones can help you connect easily with your child and understand what they are going through at each phase.
Understanding developmental milestones assists with monitoring if children are on track with their social, emotional, mental, and physical development. Parents can tailor the environment to suit their child’s specific needs and create situations for them to thrive in.
As exciting and fulfilling as parenting can be, we all know it can also be one of the most challenging things we will ever do. If you have ever found yourself stuck in a tug-of-war with your child, or confused by your tween, read on. The simple answer could be understanding your child’s development.
What is Child Development?
What used to be the domain of psychologists and teachers is spilling over to family life, and we are all for it! The development of your childhas everything to do with you, and once you have a better understanding of what it is and how it affects your little one, you will be so much better equipped to handle those changes that come your way.
So, what exactly IS child development? Here is how the Brittanica describes it:
“Child development, the growth of perceptual, emotional, intellectual, and behavioral capabilities and functioning during childhood. The term childhood denotes that period in the human lifespan from the acquisition of language at one or two years to the onset of adolescence at 12 or 13 years.” Encyclopaedia Britannica (Last Updated: Feb 6, 2025)
Child development is characterised by the use of language. By the age of around two, children start to communicate using words, then sentences, and by the time they are around seven years old, they are able to use symbolic thought along with their language.
Time, number, and memory for these concepts develop from age seven to around twelve and they can recall information more quickly around this time, too.
Self-awareness begins at around three-years old. Children also begin to develop an understanding of something called “theory of mind.” This is the concept that other people have feelings and that their actions have consequences. It is this understanding that leads to empathy.
It is important to acknowledge that although the development of empathy may begin at three, their prefrontal cortex will only truly be fully developed in our late twenties, or even early thirties. So, we need to be gracious with our little ones and understand when they act in ways that are not always as caring or selfless as we would like or expect.
The mental and physical changes of puberty, joined by the logical reasoning of adulthood mark the end of childhood, and so the end of child development.
The Importance of Understanding YOUR Child’s Development
I can remember how it felt before my babies were born. I read every magazine, every article about pregnancy and newborns… I was basically a pro… and then they were born. I was a pro for about a week. They changed so quickly that it seemed like just as I was getting good at something, everything was different again.
That is why a solid understanding of child development is important. It sidesteps the fluff, the trends, and the Reels, and it gets to the studied, proven, continually improving concepts of how to nurture and nourish our children from the inside out.
Let’s look at the importance of understanding your child’s development in a little more detail as we unpack this topic.
1. Be Sure Not to Overlook Important Aspects of Development
When we are in the midst of parenting, it can be so easy to miss the trees for the forest. In other words, we can be a little too close to the project to notice all the small details about our children that could be important.
We might also be so focused on our love for our child that we simply can’t see something that may be going wrong or a milestone that they are struggling to reach.
When my daughter was about two and a half, I had to start to face facts that she would likely need speech therapy. To my mommy ears, her speech sounded fine. I could understand everything she was saying. It was only because I had worked on a programme before, and done speech milestones with other children, that I knew she should be able to pronounce certain sounds by that age. (A knowledge of child development goes a long way.)
My heart broke into a million piece to think that she wasn’t “perfect”… that there was something “wrong” with her, but we were able to get her the support she needed and, once I got over my own issues, I remembered that is absolutely perfect, challenges and all!
2. Understand Your Child’s Learning Style and Needs
When you understand the milestones your child should be reaching academically, with language and with numbers, you will be able to assess what their learning style is.
Knowing this will help you so much when it comes to homework and study time at home. Even though the majority of the homework is likely done at aftercare, your child needs that extra, loving support at home, and you are in the best position to give it to them!
If they are visual learners, for example, provide opportunities for poster making and flashcards. Auditory learners can have support with saying things out loud, listening to them on voice recordings, and watching them on video. Children who need extra stimulation while studying can use a fidget toy while working… You get the picture.
3. A List of Other Reasons it’s Important to Understand your Child’s Development:
- You will better understand your child’s emotional needs at each age.
- You will have appropriate expectations of your child.
- You can set appropriate boundaries at each age.
- Recognize developmental delays and intervene as necessary.
- Show a deep and committed connection with your child that they will sense.
Conclusion
Understanding your child’s development is important to help you gain knowledge in what milestones they should be reaching at each age. You are able to create a nurturing environment, tailor-made for your child, recognize any delays and provide support, and build a deep connection with your child based on research.
We, at Top Marks Aftercare, take the greatest care to study and understand child development. We structure our homework and play times around developmentally appropriate activities and equipment to ensure the learners in our care receive only the best while with us.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us on the contact page. We are always happy to chat.
Resources:
Child development | Definition, Stages, & Facts | Britannica
Training Module 2 | Watch Me! | Learn the Signs. Act Early. | NCBDDD | CDC
Why is awareness of child development important for parents? | Latest News
Understanding child development (for parents/caregivers) – Emerging Minds