Surprisingly, some age groups have no framework. For example, in the law of the Russian Federation there are no clear age limits for the concept of “child”. It is clear that each parent considers his child a baby at eighteen and thirty years old. However, purely formally, a citizen must pay taxes from birth, and can express his opinion about which of the parents to live with after their divorce, from the age of ten. The criminal liability of a person in our state begins at the age of fourteen, and already at eighteen full legal capacity begins. The same is with young people - the age limits of this period of human life are not spelled out anywhere. But speaking of such a concept as infancy, many of us still imagine a certain clear image of the infant. From this article you will learn about what this age is and what are its characteristic features.
Age framework
Many experts nevertheless are inclined to believe that infants are children from birth to one year. You can often find the definition of "breastfeeding", but using this term, they do not automatically take into account all babies that mothers do not feed with breast milk. Consider the first classification. Infant age is an early age at which all the basic physiological skills of the baby are acquired. The main achievements of this age are the emergence of speech skills, their timely improvement, as well as voluntary (conscious) interaction with the environment.
Infant age
Psychologists say that in the life of a child, infancy is the most productive and at the same time stable period of development. Infant age comes as soon as the child overcomes the first crisis in his life - birth. For a long time he was in the womb, where there was everything necessary for a comfortable life - food, warmth, comfort. And then the baby falls into this world: a completely different air temperature, another breath, a completely different world surrounds him! Development in infancy occurs at a very rapid pace. For the first time, social ties and emotional interaction are established not only with the mother, but also with other family members. For the first time, a child learns how it feels to communicate through sounds, touches, gestures.
Value of communication
From the first minutes of life, communication becomes an extremely important component of the full development of the baby’s personality. It is through communication that the infant socializes, acquires a stable psyche. The child must feel warmth and care, otherwise the so-called attention deficit may develop, which, in turn, can negatively affect the whole future life of a small person - this age is so important. The infant period in human life is completely unique. Imitating others, the kid is rapidly learning a new day after day. First of all, of course, he declares to others about his mood, about how he feels. Babies cannot tell you what exactly they do not like, what causes their discomfort, therefore it is so important to be sensitive to the emotions of the baby.
Mental development of the baby
Perhaps the most important characteristic of infancy is the acquisition of developed thinking. A number of scientists consider the mental development of a child at this age to be sensorimotor. This phase of thinking is based on the emotional and tactile perception of this world. So far, the child does not have enough skills for communication, but what’s amazing is that he still communicates with this world! Exercise is extremely important for children - the baby constantly wants to grab something, bite, suck ... In addition, children during this period actively listen and observe what is happening around. Later, they adopt the model of behavior of others and copy certain actions of their parents. It is important to note that a baby already at the age of two months is able to distinguish between "his" from "stranger", a stranger. He is well acquainted with the voices of his parents, at the same time he can be frightened when he hears a new timbre of his voice. Also, the baby learns to predict what will happen in the near future. For example, if a baby is accustomed to being smeared with some kind of cream every day, and this process is not very to his liking, he may be frightened and cry as soon as he sees a familiar tube.
Baby actions
Features of infancy are in the specifics of the first movements of the baby. So, for example, scientists know the phenomenon of the so-called newborn eye. Chaotic eye movements may seem unusual, but don't worry. The doctor who observes the child will notice abnormalities, if any are indeed present. In the vast majority of cases, he quickly learns to focus his eyes on a specific object. Very often, babies have particularly expressive movements. Through their babies also express their emotions. Children learn to crawl - this is the first way to move them. The most favorite gesture of any baby is an indication. With his small finger, the child will indicate what he wants to grab, the one to whom he wants to go to the pens, and so on.
The crisis of the first year of life
The first age crisis, which perhaps every person on Earth faces, occurs with him in the second year from birth. The development of a child in infancy goes by leaps and bounds, and often the child’s psyche is not able to perceive the entire amount of information that he receives. During this period, the baby becomes especially moody, it seems unyielding to education. At this stage in life, the baby already wants to do a lot on his own. He is especially susceptible to the fact that adults make comments to him, do not allow him to indulge in and touch dangerous objects, lead away from those places where kids should definitely not go. The crisis of the first year is a test that must be overcome not only by the child, but also by his parents! In this difficult period, adults should surround the baby with attention, be more calm about the whims of the child and not take too much to heart that their child does not listen. Permissiveness during this period can lead to improper upbringing of the baby. The only advice that is suitable for any family during this period is to love each other, respect the wishes of the child and the opinion of the second parent.
Toddlers 1 to 3 years old
Having experienced a difficult stage - the crisis of the first year of life, parents and children are entering a new phase of development. It should be noted right away that if you relate to the pranks of a child with humor, then all these "crises" will pass unnoticed by all family members. Infant preschool age is determined by the age range from 1 to 3 years. At this time, the baby’s speech is becoming more perfect, the vocabulary is increasing, the child can begin to actively ask you questions about the world around him, so stock up on encyclopedias and be ready to answer all tricky questions of your baby. "During this period, it can also be difficult to put the baby to sleep, so the best the solution is to find interesting fairy tales.Some parents tried to turn on light classic melodies for their children at night and came to the conclusion that if the music is the backdrop to their favorite fairy tale, the child falls asleep in a matter of minutes inuts.
Another crisis
The capricious behavior of the child can bring anyone - just not you! We repeat: in order to survive difficult stages in life, they must be treated exclusively with humor. Let your sense of humor and patience help you survive the next crisis - three years of age. The infant period can be considered over when the child goes to kindergarten. There he meets his peers - a variety of guys, sometimes as capricious and frightened by the new situation as he is. Children feel universal injustice when parents give them, albeit for a couple of hours, to a manger. Foreign nannies, incomprehensible kids, everything so unusual and strange - the kids don’t even realize that soon the kindergarten will become the place where they want to come back again and again to play with other guys!
Nursery Difficulties
As mentioned earlier, a child, first finding himself in such an unfamiliar place as a kindergarten, can experience serious stress that affects behavior and even some skills! The difficulties that a baby may encounter when infancy ends and the time for kindergarten begins are as follows:
- The child begins to cry more - most children cry on their first day in kindergarten. Toddlers feel confused, worry about the fact that their parents have not been around for a long time.
- The interest in cognition and games is decreasing - the kids are under stress, they are definitely not up to fun games or reading books when they yearn for their parents.
- Helplessness - even if your baby confidently holds a spoon and calmly walks on the potty, for the first time in kindergarten he may have difficulty with these skills. But all this remains only a matter of habit. Kindergarten workers and teachers with your help will be able to help the baby feel at home, and soon he will become independent again.
- He sleeps poorly and eats little - that is what educators say to most parents about their baby in the early days of kindergarten. Kids should get used to the daily routine, but, of course, it is advisable that they already have a natural habit of sleeping during the day before they get to daycare.
- Weak immunity - your baby can get sick more often when she goes to kindergarten. Amid stress, the immune system of even an adult is significantly weakened, to say nothing of babies!
How to help your baby?
Infant age flew by quickly, almost imperceptibly, a new, by no means easy stage has come in the life of your baby, and only you can help him adapt more easily in this new environment. First of all, try to observe the kindergarten day at home. Feed your child on a schedule, devote time to cognitive games and, of course, do not forget about the quiet hour. Teach your baby to communicate with other children on the street, let him spend time alone. Your baby should be able to independently play at least 10 minutes per hour! Take more walks in the fresh air, because a walk is the best way to keep your body and immunity in good shape!
How to spend a weekend with a baby?
So the first week in kindergarten is over, ahead of the weekend! They should bring a lot of joy and good memories to both you and your child. You can try to organize a picnic in the fresh air, make simple dishes with it and treat all family members. Build a big house from improvised means! Children love to build real towers from pillows and blankets. Read books, draw, play a doctor or hairdresser. Play at school: let the child complete simple tasks and get fives or colored stickers for them - which he will like. Hide the treasure and try to find this treasure together, try to make a beautiful applique or origami. Play hide and seek, come up with a sporting event, watch a cartoon, blind plasticine figures! Let this weekend be fun and unforgettable!