Parents who have awaited the first word now take pride in their child's ability to name things. Imitation is important to the child's ongoing language development. Children will repeat what they hear and apply voice tones used by others. Two-way conversation is important as language ability grows. Reading with children, patiently listening, and talking with them help children learn language.
Personal development begins with a basic sense of trust during infancy.
During toddlerhood, children usually complete the stage of trust. Trust allows toddlers to explore their world independently. Toddlers begin to see themselves as individuals who are separate from their parents and able to explore freely. During this period, a child's thinking is extremely self-centered. Children see the world only from their own perspective, focusing on themselves and having difficulty understanding other points of view.