Your child at age 6
Many
parents can't help but wonder if their children are growing and developing the
right way. Sometimes shared milestones can be a useful tool.
But
remember that all children are different and special. Milestones should be
guidelines, not hard and fast rules.
If you
have specific questions about how your child reached a specific milestone
associated with age 6, you should check with your family doctor or your child's
pediatrician.
Watch out for these types of
milestones:
- Language and academic
- Development
- Social and emotional
Language and education
A
six-year-old child, usually a first grader, usually:
- Speak in simple but complete sentences with five to seven words
- Follow a series of three commands in a row
- Start to see that some words have more than one meaning. That helps them understand jokes and puns and start verbally expressing a sense of humor.
- Start to show fast growth in mental ability
A six
year old must:
- Start reading age-appropriate books.
- Pronounce or decipher unknown words
- Focus on a task at school for 15 minutes
This
is the age at which children should at least start:
- Know the concept of numbers.
- Know the day from night and from left to right
- Be able to tell time
- Be able to repeat three numbers backward
Get to
know your child's school administrators and teachers. Participate in homework.
If you think your 6 year old is lagging behind, remain calm but watch out for:
- Difficulty reading or other possible signs of disability
- Something that’s bothering your child, like bullying
- A mental health issue or stress
Development
- Baby teeth start to fall out around the age of 6 to be replaced by adult permanent teeth.
- A sense of body image begins to develop around the age of 6 years.
- Children of primary grades also complain more about pain in the abdomen, in the legs, etc. This may be because they are becoming more aware of their body. However, parents should check these complaints to ensure there are no injuries or illnesses.
- Children at this age are still learning sound, distance and speed. So get them off the street. They don't yet know how dangerous a car or truck can be.
Resist
the urge to compare your child to others or to the "norm" you've
heard about.
Your
doctor should have a growth chart for each child. He or she will use it to
decide if there may be a growth problem rather than a general recommendation.
Don't
force your child to eat more to reach a certain "standard" weight.
Remember
that every child is unique.
Social, emotional
- At the age of 6, children become increasingly independent from their parents. They will try to show how big they are and do things that can be dangerous.
- Peer acceptance becomes more important than before. They learn to collaborate and share.
- Boys will play with boys and girls with girls.
- Parents should allow children to make their own choices when it comes to sports and toys. Give a wide range of examples.
- Around now, children are starting to develop their skills and concentration, as well as understand teamwork, to start playing organized sports.
- As their language skills improve, children get better and better at describing what happened, how they feel and what they think.
- Lying, cheating, and stealing are to be expected at this age. Children learn where they stand and what is acceptable.
Other ways to help parents
- For children ages 6 and up, set stable time limits for video games, computer use, and television use. Make sure screen time doesn't get in the way of physical play, adequate sleep, and family time.
- Continue reading to your 6 year old and ask him to read to you.
- Set parental controls on computers and TV.
- Don't be afraid to talk to your kids about difficult topics like peer pressure, violence, drug use and sexuality. Find age-appropriate ways to answer questions without adding confusion or fear.
- Support your child's self-esteem and encourage him to have fun and express himself.
- Consider swimming lessons and fire safety training for your child.