The Psychology of Children

Children psychology, or the psychology of children, comes under the purview of developmental psychology. It deals with the motor, cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological development of children. The psychology of children aids in the diagnosis and understanding of behavioral and developmental disorders in children.

Child development is categorized into five developmental stages - Infant, toddler, early childhood, childhood, and adolescence. Let's find out what is the psychology of children at each stage.

Infant: A child is called an infant from birth to about one year of age. The important milestones that a child achieves during this period include holding his head, turning over, sitting, standing, and crawling. The pediatrician checks for increase in baby's weight, height, and head circumference, to make sure the baby is growing well. She also examines whether the baby has developed various reflexes like grasp reflex, sucking reflex, swallowing reflex, and palmar grasp. By the time the baby is 5 months old, he/she is ready to start solids. These need to be introduced gradually in the baby's diet, which comprises mainly of breast-milk or formula. From the point of view of children psychology, the focus is on building trust with the primary care takers of the child.

Toddler: The major physical milestones reached by a toddler include walking and talking. However, this stage is also marked by a leap in the cognitive, social, emotional, and intellectual development of a child. The psychology of children during this period involves exploring and discovering the world around them. The child is curious about his surroundings, and wants to learn more about it. This is also the time he tries to exercise his newfound independence, a reason why this phase is more popularly known as the "terrible two's". However, though you might be tempted to curtail your child's escapades during this stage, it is in the child's best interests to allow him to lead a little, and explore a lot.

Early Childhood: This is the time when children start attending preschool. This phase is marked by an emphasis on the child's socio-emotional development. It is important to encourage children to socialize with the people around. This will ensure that they develop the social skills required to lead a successful life. Certain behavioral and developmental disorders may be detected during this stage. The most common ones include ADHD, autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and dyslexia.

Childhood: The middle years of childhood are marked by tremendous intellectual development. These are the years when children gain a vast amount of knowledge, and learn to think logically. They acquire new skills, and begin to use them productively. This stage is focused on the child's ability to do things. Trying out new things, and being able to do them successfully, boosts the child's self-esteem, and makes him confident. It is important to understand the psychology children have during these years, so that they do not develop feelings of inferiority or inadequacy.

Adolescence: The teenage years are the years of exploring and establishing your identity. Who doesn't remember their teenage years, and the things that they did during these years? We all do, right? But, when it comes to our children, we find ourselves stopping them from doing the very same things we did. It is important to understand from the children psychology angle, that adolescence is the time when a child learns to become a responsible adult. He needs to explore, discover, and exercise his independence to be able to lead a successful life as an adult. Some of the common psychological problems in adolescents include anxiety and depression. More on dealing with adolescent depression.

Child care is key issue in our society. Children psychology, or the psychology of children, can provide great guidance to parents at every stage of their child's development. If you feel that something is wrong with your child, discuss it with your child's pediatrician. The pediatrician will guide you to a child psychologist or psychiatrist for further evaluation if he feels it necessary. It is important to remember that the field of children psychology is well-developed, and there is help available for any problem you might face.