Ages and Stages - Birth to six months

This week we will explore the ages and stages of children through the teen years. I will list the typical jobs of the child and the corresponding behaviors along with appropriate caregiver behavior and behaviors to avoid.

The first plane of development is birth through age six. This plane is based in the concrete. Children have not reached the age of reason.  From birth to age three there is unconscious learning and making order out of chaos.


The work of the child at this stage is to:

To make needs known usually by crying out
To be accepting of touch and nurture
To bond emotionally and to trust adult caregivers

Children at this stage cry, cuddle, make lots of sounds starting with cooing and then babbling, look at faces especially the eyes and mouth, and imitate. Babies as young as two days old watch the movement of the caregiver’s mouth.

The work of the caregivers:

Caregivers need to provide consistent, reliable, and loving care. They need to respond to the baby’s calls and meet the baby’s needs, Look and hold the baby while feeding. Talk to the baby, look at the baby when talking, and imitate the baby’s sounds. Sing to the baby. Touch the baby (baby massage is great). Be there in the present moment.

What caregivers need to avoid:

Feeding before baby signals or as an automatic response to any cry the baby makes
Over-stimulating the baby with too many sights, sounds, and toys
Punishment
Angry, rigid responses
Unhealthy environment
Hovering
Unresponsive to baby’s needs
Unsafe environment
Being negative (don’t, no)