Middle Years Middle Years by Karen DeBord , State Specialist-Child Development Overview Between the ages of 6 and 12, the child's world moves outward from the family as relationships are formed with friends, teachers, coaches, caregivers, and others. Because they are having more experiences, many things can affect how a child thinks and feels.
Some situations can create stress and affect self-esteem.
The middle childhood is a time to prepare for adolescence and to show their increased knowledge and independence. Up to this point, children have always looked up to parents as the source of information, but now children judge parents more and label their actions differently. There are signs of growing independence. Children test their growing knowledge with possible back-talk and rebellion. Common fears include the unknown, failure, death, family problems, and rejection.