For these reasons, childhood is a crucial time for laying the proper foundation. Parents need to be constantly alert to the influences around their children and work hard to teach them the gospel. Parents often unknowingly lead children astray through uncaring, unthinking, and inconsistent behavior. The following chart lists some common characteristics of children's behavior, arranged by broad age groupings, with reasons for that behavior and the implications that behavior may have on planning enjoyable and productive family home evenings. However, when considering any growth or behavior chart, remember that not every child will necessarily fit into described patterns.
Individual children grow and develop differently and at different speeds.
For instance, all children in one family will not walk or talk at the same age. Each child should be respected as an individual. The descriptions in this chart identify general behavior only, and you will note that the age groupings overlap. Implications Birth to 3 years of age 1. A child likes affection, being held and cuddled.