Read About Child Development and Know What Comes Next in the Child Development Stages Hierarchy

While it is of course true that everyone has an individual rate of learning, there are certain standard child development stages that every child should follow in general sequence. Some children may reach certain stages before other children, but this does not necessarily mean that the child who is "behind" is doing anything wrong. They must conquer one stage before moving on to the next, and there are often many stages happening at the same time. Some involve cognitive development, others physical or emotional. If you find yourself comparing your child to the neighbor's child, stop comparing strengths to weaknesses and vice versa. While developmental stages are a guideline to see how you child is fairing, it certainly is not an exact representation for everyone. By reading child development articles, you can learn how you can affect the growth and development of your child.

By knowing and understanding child development stages, parents can get an idea of what they can expect out of their children at certain ages. It is obvious that a two-year-old will not be able to ride a bike, but these stages are much more subtle than that. Understanding these stages can also eliminate much of the guesswork and aggravation out of parenting. It can be fun to observe your child moving from one stage to the next.

An example of what physical development stages in babies look like is as follows: first infants will learn how to lift their head while lying face down. Then they will be able to support their own weight on the arms. Next they will learn to roll over, and soon to follow they will be able to roll into a sitting position. After that, babies learn how to roll into a squat position, and from this position they learn how to crawl.

Child development stages continue in this way for many more years. The sequence is standard, but the normal ages at which different children will be able to accomplish these feats differ by a few months. This is a significant amount of time when the child has only been alive for under a year.

As a parent, it is important that you educate yourself about child development stages by reading child development articles. Parenthood is difficult enough without having to guess about where your child is in his or her personal development. Lingual, emotional and other forms of development follow similar sequences, and by reading child development articles, you can learn how you can encourage your child's development and continue in helping them grow and learn.

The Roots For Your Child's Education Starts at Home

While you may believe that only a teacher with a license is qualified enough to teach your children, the truth of the matter is you as the parent is your child's first and most important instructor. Not only are you your child's provider, but you are also their first teacher and you play a very important role in your their educational life preceding the start of their formal school years. Teaching your little preschooler may seem like a daunting task at first but with patience and a little research, you will find the time you spend with him or her rewarding.

In this article, I will show you how a couple of home based activities can help encourage a love and understanding of language, math and science. These activities involve (and are not limited to) reading, listening, writing, number awareness, sequencing, counting and learning to become aware of the world that surrounds them.

The following are some activities you can start with:

• Create a center for your house that is just for reading

• Start reading together

• Together, count any objects that are laying around such as coins

• Try to encourage writing by creating fun lists

• Recite nursery rhymes together

• Provide children with simple musical instruments such as a kazoo or a flute

• Encourage them to use their imaginations by telling stories with puppets

• Teach children about the importance of eating healthy foods and the dangers of fast food

• Encourage them to frequently wash their hands and explain to them the concept of germs and sickness

• Discuss the concept of money and play store with them

• A very important lesson is to teach them how to dial 911 in case of an emergency

You can also do what my mother did for me and just surround your children with books at an early age so that they view them as a normal part of life and not as the dreadful objects that most children see them as when they start school. I remember when I was a student, I just couldn't understand why the class would collectively moan when the teacher assigned us a novel as a reading assignment. Because my mother conditioned me to appreciate books at such an early age, these school assignments would actually invoke a sense of excitement in me and I only wish for your children to experience the same kind of emotions that I felt.

And remember, by taking the time to talk with your child and by encouraging them to ask questions about the world they live in, you will not only help strengthen their analytical skills you will also be preparing them for their formal educational journey.

Teaching your child to read is one of the most important jobs you can do as a parent. There are many methods and reading programs you can use to achieve this goal.