If a child accidently loses a permanent tooth, finding the tooth and taking it and the child to the dentist may save the permanent tooth. Mental Development Rapid mental growth creates many of the positive as well as negative interactions between children and adults during middle childhood. Reading signs, making lists, and counting prices are all exercises to practice sequencing skills. Asking children if you can help them think about ways to talk with other children can provide limited guidance as they negotiate social relationships. Each stage in life is a time of growth.
Middle childhood is a time to bridge dependence with approaching independence.
The time of wonder and spontaneity is fading, replaced by feeling self-conscious and on guard. The new ways children act are ways they are exploring their future potential. Some behaviors will pass, but they must be experienced in order for the child to grow and be ready to face the stage of finding his or her identity during adolescence. Limiting the amount of television watched and monitoring what is watched can help parents assure that the TV that is seen relates to their family's values. There is no magic age at which a child is ready to be left alone.