Child ObservationChild observation gives parents and families the ability to cognize the social world, which a kid inhabits. Contemplating a child is a fascinating thing I have experienced for a long time. It is incredible to see how innocent infants view things differently. I have recently watched a five years old boy (Ryon) from Abu Dhabi and had several tasks to accomplish. All the observations were made in his parents’ home compound. Ryon had almond shaped eyes, a fine short black hair, and a light skin complexion. He was seated on a chair in his mom’s living room. Ryon’s mother gave me the consent to monitor her child. However, I was a bit anxious about how Ryon would react when he realized that I was keeping an eye on him. Notably, Ryon was not aware that my presence in their house was to watch and take notes of his behavior. As difficult as it might have appeared, the process of observation began.
In the beginning, Ryon was not talking at all and was quietly sitting on the floor. Thus, I had to move closer to him so as to see the activities that made him busy. Upon noticing me, he looked up and smiled. I had no clue whether Ryon was able to speak or not but I expected that at his stage he should have communicated verbally. I knew little about child development; however, I recalled my lecturer teaching about “selective mutism”. I guessed that Ryon was uncomfortable with my intrusion. Physically, the boy weighs 50 pounds, and he is 34 inches tall. Ryon’s energy level is average. In fact, he does not seem to get tired quickly. Besides, the kid works and plays at a steady pace. From my observation, Ryon’s general health appears to be good. He even dresses up without his mother’s help. In his physical constitution, he is well-coordinated so that the child participates in large-muscle games with pleasure and possesses corresponding skills, for instance, tossing a ball and running. His eye-hand coordination and small muscle abilities are above average.
Ryon is more coordinated and gets excited when showing off new physical skills. For example, he likes using the phrase “look at me”. He can ride a bike, jump rope, stand on one foot for many seconds, and walk down and up the stairs without any help from his parents. He loves soccer and keeps on telling his mother to play together. At the age of five , children develop their food preferences. Most little ones who ate vegetable as preschoolers and toddlers change the diet and suddenly stick to pasta with cheese and butter for the everyday meal. At the age of five, Ryon helped his mother in the kitchen with food preparation as well as laying the table ready for a dinner. I noticed that feeding himself was a bit of a problem since he spent most of the time playing with the spoon and the plate. Thus, the mother had to help and give him food by herself. I also realized that Ryon enjoyed sitting at the table chatting with friends and families during mealtime. Parents should utilize this time to teach their offspring good table manners.
At the age of five, most kids stop taking naps, and Ryon was no exception. Hence, it is important that parents set early bedtime and sleeping habits as a routine for such a kid. Notably, the chances of waking up at night at this age are minimal. Children of five years old require enough sleep, approximately 10-12 hours. However, the amount of rest a child needs varies from one kid to another. Therefore, this means that some infants will require 12 full hours of sleep while for other only 8 hours will be enough to feel more alert the following day.
The little ones can easily express their feelings at the age of five. However, they still need time and help to recognize as well as to speak about tricky emotions such as jealousy or frustration. Besides, they can control their sentiments at this stage of life. They hardly have unexpected sadness or anger outbursts. Even though five years old kids love doing things independently, they still need parents’ attention and love. Binding with the family is of the utmost importance for kids. Hence, they need approval of their nearest and dearest.
It is significant to observe childhood development stages. Physical, social and emotional well-being of young individuals has direct effects on their overall growth and the type of adult they will become. For this reason, investing in small children can be vital since it maximizes their future success. Neurological researches show that early years play a prominent role especially for infants’ development. Even at this very young age, the little ones learn about the world, which surrounds them. Notably, the early encounters, that is, the bond, which kids form spending time with their parents, as well as the first learning experiences, affect their future cognitive, emotional, physical and social progress. Person health, emotional well-being, and life success depend on the root in childhood. Furthermore, nurture and nature influence child development profoundly.
Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual theory stresses the importance of early life events and experiences. Freud urges that the maturity of an infant is illustrated in the series of psychosexual stages. The latter are anal, oral, latency, genital and phallic. According to Freud, each of them plays a primary role in adult personality. Therefore, if unfortunately a child does not complete one step it is possible for them to develop fixation that will probably influence their identity and behavior of a grownup. Freud states that at the phallic stage, which is between three and six, the little ones begin to notice the differences between girls and boys. During this period, baby boys view the fathers as rivals for their mothers’ love. The male kids feel possession their moms and the need to replace their dads. However, this child stills fears to be punished by the father for showing such an attitude.
Overall, the age of five is a period of great happiness for infants. At this stage, life seems to be good according to most five-year-old kids. Thus, this is the time where lots of changes are introduced. In cognitive development, children always have one way to handle things. They rarely listen to others. Besides, they imagine and believe that some objects such as toys are alive. Furthermore, they think literally, for instance, they are convinced that when it rains cats and dogs, these pets fall from the sky. In most cases, they often reverse numbers and letters. The little ones are always in a hurry to think out loud even before acting. They are considered the best learners, especially in exploring materials such as clay, finger paints, rocks, shells, and blocks. Additionally, they like undertaking new activities.
In conclusion, it is important to observe children. Evidently, watching an infant encourages awareness among parents concerning how their kids learn and whether they make any progress in their growth. Every child has a unique and complex way of development. Notably, the latter can be influenced by experiences and the environment, which they inhabit. At the age of five, the little ones become active. They can control their jumping, running, and other movements. Notably, this is the time when children require plenty of physical activities. However, they tire quickly. Besides, kids also need parents’ attention and love. Some help their mothers with chores such as cooking at the stage of five years. In addition, they establish food preferences and train how to dress up at this age. It is important to note that children need restful sleep of at least eight or twelve hours depending on the infant. Therefore, observing young family members is crucial during their development process.
