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School Age Development
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Six Years
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| Developmental milestones at this age you can expect your child to dress himself, brush his teeth without help, play board and card games and follow the rules, name colors, hop, walk down stairs alternating feet, skip, talk in complete sentences, sing songs, listen to stories, shares things spontaneously, read age appropriate books, print letters, know his phone number and address and his speech should be fully understandable. He will also be able to ride a bike, play team sports and develop better coordination while running, jumping or throwing things. He will develop stronger friendships, although usually still of the same sex children, and learn the difference between right and wrong behaviors.
This is a time of growing independence and children at this age want to be considered more responsible. To help foster this sense of responsibility, now is a good time to begin giving your child an allowance. The amount is not very important, but is usually 50¢ to $1.00 per year in age and should be used for special things that your child wants. Managing an allowance will help to teach your child about the value of money and the importance of saving. While it is also important that your child begin to have regular age appropriate chores (setting or clearing the table, taking out the garbage, cleaning their room, etc.) around the house, these should probably not be tied to their allowance. Positive reinforcement is important for completed chores, and failure to complete chores can be punished by loss of a privilege (TV, videogames, etc.). Allowing your child to have a choice of which chore to do and alternating undesirable chores among your children sometimes helps with compliance.
Encourage self esteem and a positive self image in your child by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for things that he has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore and take on new challenges.
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School Readiness
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The skills that your child will need to be ready to start first grade include knowing the names of colors, identifying all letters, writing their name, counting items, playing cooperatively with others, following two to three part commands, paying attention and concentrating, sitting for long periods of time, and fitting into the daily routine of the school day. Your child should also be able to read a few simple words, listen to and understand simple stories, spend extended time away from parents, dress himself, verbally communicate his needs and wants, and be enthusiastic and curious about new activities.
Not all children are ready for school at the same time. If your child is very immature or shy, you can take some steps to help prepare him for starting school, such as spending time with and playing with other children (especially children who will be in his class), taking him to see his classroom and meet his teacher beforehand, or allowing him to take something special to which he is attached with him to school. If you feel that your child is still not ready to start school, you can discuss the problem with his teacher and school to see if accommodations can be made and to discuss the pros and cons of retaining him for a year.
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Eight to Twelve Years
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| The middle to late school age years are a time of great change in your child. In addition to starting puberty, his mind will also grow to understand logical and abstract thinking and he will develop the moral standards by which he will live his life. You can also expect him to begin to move away from the family as he develops his own identity and also become more influenced by his friends. Fortunately, this influence is usually limited to outward things, such as hair and clothing styles.
This is a time of growing independence and children at this age want to be considered more responsible. To help foster this sense of responsibility, now is a good time to begin giving your child an allowance. The amount is not very important, but is usually 50¢ to $1.00 per year in age and should be used for special things that your child wants. Managing an allowance will help to teach your child about the value of money and the importance of saving. To promote an interest in saving, you should encourage her to set aside a certain amount of her allowance for special items that she can buy later.
While it is also important that your child begin to have regular age appropriate chores (setting or clearing the table, taking out the garbage, cleaning their room, etc.) around the house, these should probably not be tied to their allowance. Positive reinforcement is important for completed chores, and failure to complete chores can be punished by loss of a privilege (TV, videogames, etc). Allowing your child to have a choice of which chore to do sometimes helps with compliance and you should rotate the assignment of undersirable chores among your children.
Encourage self esteem and a positive self image in your child by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for things that he has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore and take on new challenges.
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