Anyone who has raised children or has ever lived with a toddler would be able to tell you how fast these little bundles of joy grow. Their growth spurt starts from the very day they are born and lasts well until the age of 10-11. Then there’s a short pause in between, and suddenly they’re already teens, growing as rapidly as ever once more.
While your child’s still growing, the years seem to be spent in a haze of dirty diapers and spit-up. But when you do look closely, their development actually undergoes several phases, and the shift between two phases can be marked as a little milestone for their overall growth and maturity.
As a parent, you should always be on the lookout for these milestones, and not just because they’re a total miracle to witness. These milestones also highlight the fact that your kiddo’s cognitive functions are rapidly and normally improving, and if you sense a slight problem in your child’s growth, you can work on fixing that immediately.
So without further ado, here are 5 adorable (and important) milestones that your child should go through by the age of 5!
They’ll Be Super Inquisitive, Asking Questions About Every. Single. Thing.
This one’s a hallmark of childhood itself. One thing that you need to know as a parent though, is that this is actually a very sensitive period of your child’s brain development. The more inquisitive they are, the smarter they will become and the more likely they are to excel socially and academically.
Make sure that you treasure and nurture your child’s curiosity. By putting his questions off or even getting annoyed by them, you’ll be discouraging their desire to want to ask more questions and learn more about the world. This may have several developmental consequences and detrimental effects on their confidence level.
Their Interactions with Their Friends Will Become More Intrapersonal.
Your child should naturally have friends in and around the neighborhood or in his daycare, but these friendships usually start out as them just playing together and sharing their toys.
As your child grows, though, they’re going to start showing keen interest in them even beyond the designated “playtime.” They’ll constantly talk about their friends and may even express their want to impress them or even be like them. That’s just your child taking baby steps towards belonging in their own “clique.”
They’ll Start Telling You Little Stories.
At the age of 5, your child should not only be able to speak clearly and memorize simple things, but they should also be able to narrate events to you! If your child has lots of stories to tell you about how they made a new friend or played a new game, you can rest assured that your kiddo’s mental development is going strong!
They’ll Be Able to Tell When You’re Bluffing.
They say that kids are very gullible, but when your kid turns 5, don’t be too surprised if they won’t believe in the story of how a ghost attacked you when you snuck into the kitchen at night. They’re simply too intelligent to believe in those sorts of things anymore!
They’ll Be Able to Do Somersaults!
One aspect in which your child will show growth very rapidly is their physical movements. Your toddler will be extremely mischievous, running around the entire house whenever they’re bored and causing a lot of mischief.
They’ll also be able to stand on one leg, skip and hop around, and even do tiny somersaults on the ground. They also won’t be super dependent on you anymore and will be able to eat and use the toilet on their own.
What if My Child Doesn’t Meet These Milestones?
All of these milestones are the sign of a happy and healthy child who’s growing up normally. But if your child isn’t showing these signs even after turning 5, don’t fret! Some children grow and mature a little later than others, and that's totally fine, too. What you might want to consider though, is pediatric occupational therapy.
This can help speed up your child’s social and motor skills if they’re lagging behind on any of them. And if your child seems to be showing some developmental delays or is extremely shy, uncomfortable, or quieter than usual at home or in social settings, therapy will prove to be invaluable in helping him overcome these issues.
Your child’s developmental years are one of the most important years of their whole life, and being an aware parent will help boost your child’s growth. Treasure their wonderful habits and little accomplishments -- but definitely don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you feel that something needs more work. In turn, you can help see your little one grow up into a mature, happy, healthy adult!
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