The human offspring, which is the last to become independent from birth, needs many physical, mental, emotional and behavioral experiences and the right support in order to adapt to the environment in which it lives, as well as its complex brain development. Especially the first years of life, which carry great responsibilities for parents, are very important for human life. It requires a lot of effort and knowledge.
The first three years of life are both mysterious and magical.
It is mysterious because we never remember those years. These are the years that carry the traces of the people who look at us, our sense of trust in life is shaped and many of our beliefs are formed.
It is magical because it is the period of the fastest change and development from day to day. These are the years in which all developmental areas (motor, cognitive, language, psycho-social) progress at the highest speed with the influence of brain development and environmental stimuli, and basic behaviors, habits and skills begin to be acquired.
First of all, in order to know the critical periods in brain development in the first three years, to follow our children’s development and support them in line with their needs;
Children:
– How do they develop?
– How do they behave?
– What do they want? Let’s try to answer your questions.
0-1 AGE
1. How do they develop?
There is a regular, continuous and sequential development from head to toe, from the inside out, from the general to the particular. Some of the critical points to be considered in this period are; head-neck control, independent sitting, fine grasping, balance, walking, communication, eye contact skills. Although each baby’s developmental speed is different, it is important to follow the process to allow the emergence of skills and, if necessary, to develop a supportive interest.
2. How Do They Behave?
In this stage, where the baby is completely dependent on the adult, the primary impulse is to survive. It is the period when movements for meeting needs such as nutrition and sleep, attracting adults’ attention, exploring their own body, caregivers and the environment emerge. Behaviors of looking, watching, searching, reaching, grasping, crying, babbling, laughing, calling out, objecting develop from simple to complex.
3. What Do They Want?
With regular and good care, unconditional love, continuity and consistency, they can develop a sense of trust in life. The phenomenon of parenthood experienced with the baby is also in constant development. The first year is actually challenging for both parties, as the baby and the parents try to adapt to the new living conditions.
The baby needs intense love and attention in order to feel present.
They also require regular care for their physical survival and development. The environment outside the mother’s womb is foreign to the baby in every aspect and requires a high degree of protection and controlled experience to adapt. Routines must be established in order to acquire basic habits.
1-2 YEARS
1. How do they develop?
It is the period in which skills are tried to be acquired and developed under the supervision of adults. Children begin to explore both themselves and their environment. Children who try to become independent with the increase in their movement skills begin to stimulate their cognitive development with object contact. There are many experiences to use their senses and body more actively.
2. How Do They Behave?
The primary attention of children in this period is on themselves, and they test the limits of adults while discovering their own skills. Children, who are completely receptive and whose main purpose is to advance their development through experiences, discover many behaviors that will increase their effectiveness on adults. These behaviors are reinforced or extinguished by adult attention. Such as shouting, crying, hitting, talking. They are unfamiliar with the concepts of giving and sharing.
3. What Do They Want?
They want safe opportunities in their journey of discovery accompanied by high attention, attention and love. When parents calmly support their children in their experiences after making the environment safe, they will develop a sense of security as well as harmony with the world. In this period, when communication skills are also structured, the concepts of understanding and explaining come to the fore. While supporting the development of our child within safe limits, we should not expect parents to always comply, and conflicts should be minimized with precautionary approaches.
2-3 YEARS
1. How do they develop?
Advancing rapidly in all areas of development, they move towards independence. Now they can use their bodies more effectively, achieve independence of movement, overcome obstacles, solve problems to reach the goal, understand what is said, express themselves verbally, increase their self-care skills, use objects more skillfully, and think systematically.
2. How Do They Behave?
In this period when identity and skill discovery continues, children’s interest gradually shifts from themselves to others. Concepts such as rules, boundaries, approval, sharing and modeling begin to be noticed. Although the boundary test behaviors continue, children’s compliance will increase when the parents set the right model with a calm determination and set limits appropriate for the age and development of the child and behave consistently.
3. What do they want?
In order to learn right and wrong, to be able to adapt to the environment they live in, to be an individual, they always want to carry duties related to themselves and their field, and always want to be loved. Since the behaviors of parents will be modeled by their children and children will learn by living, not listening, it will be beneficial to support this period, when the foundations of behavior are laid, with knowledge and experience.
In summary, considering that development continues throughout life, a correct and supportive start will be the first condition of taking a healthy path.
Investments and contributions to the child’s development in their first year provide a lifetime advantage.
Child Development Specialist
Benal Saraçoğlu YARDIMCI
