Infancy
and Early Childhood Development
The
milestone that kicks off the beginning of child development is not necessarily
birth. For infants, a healthy mental and physical development begins with a
healthy pregnancy, as malnutrition or a poor diet while the mother is pregnant
can represent negative consequences throughout the child’s entire life. There
are several important areas of growth that will develop substantially in the
first few years of a child’s life. Cognitive development, which refers to brain
development, is what determines the child’s ability to learn. Other areas that
will develop quickly are the psychosocial and emotional skills, physical growth
and linguistic development. The caregivers have a great responsibility when it
comes to allowing the child to develop and grow in a healthy and safe
environment. Many researches have shown that a child who is introduced to early
education has better chances of succeeding in social and cognitive skills. The
influence of the parents in the healthy development of children is undeniable,
but there are many different parenting styles that can play a different impact
on the upbringing of children.
It
is well known that during the first two years of a child’s life is when he or
she develops at the fastest rate. “A baby's physical growth occurs fastest during the first
year. The average baby doubles his birth rate by age six months and triples it
by one year. Motor skills develop rapidly starting at about 18 months, when
most children learn to walk unaided. Cognitive and linguistic development accelerates
around age 2. According to the Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting,
the period from ages 2 to 6 years is the most important time for language
acquisition” (Wood, 2010). For these reasons it is safe to say that the parents
and the environment are crucial to allow for a healthy brain development, as
during the first few months of their lives, infants learn to adapt and
understand the environment around them, which is fundamental for the base of
their intelligence.
As mentioned before, there are many
different parenting styles that impact drastically the way a child develops and
interacts in society. “Developmental psychologists have long
been interested in how parents impact child development. However, finding
actual cause-and-effect links between specific actions of parents and later
behavior of children is very difficult. Some children raised in dramatically
different environments can later grow up to have remarkably similar
personalities. Conversely, children who share a home and are raised in the same
environment can grow up to have astonishingly different personalities than one
another” (Cherry, 2013). There are three well known parenting styles, which one
with its advantages and disadvantages. First, the authoritarian parenting,
which expects children to follow strict rules established by their parents, at
the risk of punishment for not compliance. The parents are not expected to
explain the reasoning behind those rules, and it is common for them to say
“because I said so” when asked the reason behind a rule. These parents are not responsive to their
children. “Children raised under this strict form of parenting are more likely
to be quiet, conscientious, and obedient, but tend to be unhappy, and may be
prone to guilt or depression throughout their lives They learn to internalize
frustrations and tend to blame themselves during challenging situations. Often
during adolescence, they rebel and leave home before age 20” (Stone, 2012).
Second, there is the authoritative parenting, where like the authoritarian
parents, these parents will set rules and expect them to be followed, but in a
more democratic way. These parents are responsive to their children and prefer
to talk and forgive instead of punish, and are also assertive instead of intrusive.
“Authoritative parents raise successful, articulate children, content with
themselves, appreciative of others, and well-liked by peers” (Stone, 2012). This
parenting style is considered by many the most effective one, as it set
boundaries and limits for the children but in a loving and respectful way. The
third parenting style is the permissive parenting, which is also referred as
indulging parenting, as the parents don’t try to discipline the children and
make few demands. These parents don’t expect their children to be matured or
controlled, and they avoid confrontation as much as possible. “Permissive
parents are nurturing and accepting, and accommodate and welcome the opinions
of the child. They tend to show an abundance of affection to their children and
refrain from showing impatience. They consider themselves friends to their
children and do not acknowledge the powerful influence they have on their
children's development. Children raised in this environment tend to be unhappy
and ineffective in peer relationships” (Stone, 2012). Other than these three
main parenting styles, a fourth one also exists, the uninvolved parenting. This
style is characterized by detached parents that other than fulfilling the
child’s basic primary needs, don’t get involved in any kind of emotional and
social development. A lot of times, these parents neglect their children.
Early
childhood education is a discussion that has become more popular over the past
few years. Past generations did not put so much emphasis on the importance of
getting very young children, toddlers even, started in educational projects.
Nowadays, teaching children basic skills from the beginning is very important.
It has been proven by researches that early childhood education is very
beneficial for the cognitive development of children, and the positives
consequences that come from it will help children throughout their whole lives.
There are many different options new parents can choose when it comes to
beginning the education process of their young children. The three main types
of early childhood education are parental care, informal care and center care.
The first, parental care, consists of keeping the children in their home
environment, either with their mothers of fathers. In the past, the mom was
usually the one who would stay at home with the kids, while the dad works, but
nowadays it is very common for families have those roles inverted. Whichever
parent stays at home with the children is the one responsible for introducing
them the basic principles they will need by the time they start school, like
colors, numbers, letters, etc. The second option, informal care, happens when
the child is placed in the care of a nanny, babysitter, relative or family
friend. The third option, the child care centers, offers an environment to the
children that provides care and education.
References
Cherry,
K. (2013). Parenting Styles. Retrieved from
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/parenting-style.htm
Stone,
D. (2012). Infancy and early childhood development. Retrieved
from
http://psychological-musings.blogspot.com/2011/02/infancy-and-early-childhood-development.html
Wood, L. (2010). Infancy and early
childhood development. Retrieved from
http://www.livestrong.com/article/246216-infancy-early-childhood-development/
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