It's amazing that some age groups don't have borders. For example, in the law of the Russian Federation there are no clear age limits for the concept of "child". It is clear that every parent considers his child a baby at both eighteen and thirty years old. However, purely formally, a citizen must pay taxes from birth, and can express his opinion about which parent to live with after their divorce, from the age of ten. The criminal liability of a person in our state begins at the age of fourteen, and already at eighteen, full legal capacity begins. It is the same with young people - the age limits of this period of a person's life are not spelled out anywhere. But speaking of such a concept as infancy, many of us still imagine a certain clear image of a baby. From this article you will learn about what this age is and what are its characteristicfeatures.
Age limits
Many experts still tend to believe that babies are children from birth to one year. It is very common to find the definition of "breastfeeding infant", but using this term does not automatically take into account all babies that mothers do not breastfeed. Consider the first classification. Infancy is an early age at which all the basic physiological skills of a baby are acquired. The main achievements of this age are the emergence of speech skills, their timely improvement, as well as arbitrary (conscious) interaction with the environment.
Infancy baby
Psychologists say that in a child's life, infancy is the most productive and at the same time stable period of development. Infancy comes as soon as the child overcomes the first crisis in his life - birth. For a long time he was in the womb, where there was everything necessary for a comfortable life - food, warmth, comfort. And now the baby enters the white world: a completely different air temperature, a different breathing, a completely different world surrounds him! Development in infancy is very fast. For the first time, social ties are established, emotional interaction not only with the mother, but also with other family members. For the first time, a child learns what it is like to communicate through sounds, touches, gestures.
The value of communication
From the first minutes of lifecommunication becomes an extremely important component of the full development of the infant's personality. It is thanks to communication that the baby is socialized, acquires a stable psyche. The child must feel warmth and care, otherwise the so-called attention deficit may develop, which, in turn, may negatively affect the entire future life of a small person - this age is so important. The infancy period in a person's life is completely unique. By imitating others, the baby is rapidly learning new things day after day. First of all, he, of course, declares to others about his mood, about how he feels. Babies can't tell you what they don't like and what makes them uncomfortable, so it's important to be sensitive to your baby's emotions.
Infant development
Perhaps the most important characteristic of infancy is the acquisition of a developed mind. A number of scientists consider the mental development of a child at this age to be sensorimotor. This phase of thinking is based on the emotional and tactile perception of this world. So far, the child lacks the skills to communicate, but what is amazing is that he still communicates with this world! Exercise is extremely important for children - the baby constantly wants to grab something, bite, suck … In addition, children during this period actively listen and observe what is happening around. Later, they adopt the behavior of others and copy certain actions of their parents. It is important to note that the baby already at the age of two months is capable ofto distinguish "one's own" from "alien", a stranger. He is well aware of the voices of his parents, at the same time, he may be frightened when he hears a new timbre of voice. Also, the baby learns to predict what will happen in the near future. For example, if the baby is accustomed to being smeared with some kind of cream every day, and this process is not very to his liking, he may get scared and cry as soon as he sees a familiar tube.
Baby actions
Features of infancy are also in the specifics of the first movements of the baby. So, for example, scientists know the phenomenon of the so-called eye of a newborn. Chaotic eye movements may seem unusual, but do not worry. The doctor observing the child will notice deviations from the norm, if any. In the vast majority of cases, he quickly learns to focus his gaze on a particular object. Very often, babies have especially expressive movements. Through them, babies also express their emotions. Babies learn to crawl - this is the first way they move. The most favorite gesture of any kid is an indication. With his little finger, the child will indicate what he wants to grab, at the one to whom he wants to go on the hands, and so on.
Crisis of the first year of life
The first age crisis that, perhaps, every person on Earth faces, happens to him in the second year from birth. The development of a child in infancy goes by leaps and bounds, and often the child's psyche is not able to perceiveall the amount of information that he receives. During this period, the baby becomes especially capricious, it seems unyielding for education. At this stage in life, the baby already wants to do a lot on their own. He is especially susceptible to the fact that adults make comments to him, do not allow him to indulge and touch dangerous objects, take him away from those places where kids should definitely not go. The crisis of the first year is a test that not only the child, but also his parents have to overcome! During this difficult period, adults should surround the baby with attention, be more calm about the whims of the child and not take too close to heart that their child does not obey. Permissiveness during this period can lead to improper upbringing of the baby. The only advice that is suitable for any family during this period is to love each other, respect the wishes of the child and the opinion of the second parent.
Baby 1 to 3 years old
Having survived a difficult stage - the crisis of the first year of life, parents and children are entering a new phase of development. It should be noted right away that if you treat the child's pranks with humor, then all these "crises" will pass unnoticed by all family members. Infant preschool age is determined by the age range from 1 to 3 years. At this time, the baby’s speech becomes more and more perfect, vocabulary increases, the child can begin to actively ask you questions about the world around him, so stock up on encyclopedias and be ready to answer all the tricky questions of your baby. "This period also happensit is difficult to put the baby to sleep, so the best solution is to find interesting fairy tales. Some parents tried to turn on light classical melodies for their children at night and came to the conclusion that if the music is the background to their favorite fairy tale, the child falls asleep in a matter of minutes.
Another crisis
The capricious behavior of a child and can bring anyone - just not you! We repeat: in order to survive difficult stages in life, they must be treated exclusively with humor. Let your sense of humor and patience help you survive the next crisis - the age of three. The infancy period can be considered over when the child goes to kindergarten. There he meets his peers - a variety of guys, sometimes as capricious and frightened by the new situation as he is. Children feel a universal injustice when their parents send them, even if only for a couple of hours, to a nursery. Alien nannies, incomprehensible children, everything so unusual and strange - the kids do not even realize that soon the kindergarten will become the place where they want to return again and again to play with other children!
Difficulties of the nursery
As mentioned earlier, the first time a child finds himself in such an unfamiliar place as a kindergarten, he may experience severe stress, which affects behavior and even some skills! The difficulties that a baby may face when infancy ends and kindergarten begins are as follows:
- Baby starts to cry more - most babies cry on their first day of kindergarten. The kids feel confusedworried about the fact that parents are not around for a long time.
- Reduced interest in learning, games - kids are in a state of stress, they definitely do not have time for fun games or reading books when they yearn for their parents.
- Helpless - even if your toddler is confident with a spoon and calmly goes to the potty, at first in kindergarten, he may have difficulty with these skills. But all this remains only a matter of habit. Kindergarten workers and caregivers can help your child feel at home and soon become independent again.
- Sleeps badly and eats little - that's what educators say to most parents about their baby in the first days in kindergarten. Babies need to get used to the daily routine, but of course it is desirable that they already have a natural habit of sleeping during the day before they come to the nursery.
- Weak immunity - your baby may get sick more often when he goes to kindergarten. Against the background of stress, the immune system of even an adult is significantly weakened, to say nothing of babies!
How to help your baby?
Infancy flew by quickly, almost imperceptibly, a new, by no means simple stage has come in your baby's life, and only you can help him adapt more easily to this new environment. First, try to observe the kindergarten day regimen at home. Feed your baby on a schedule, devote time to educational games and, of course, do not forget about the quiet hour. Teach your baby to communicate with other children on the street, let him spendtime and alone. Your baby should be able to play independently at least 10 minutes per hour! Walk more in the fresh air, because a walk is the best way to keep your body and immunity in good shape!
How to spend the weekend with a baby?
So the first week in kindergarten is over, ahead of the weekend! They should bring a lot of joy and good memories to both you and your child. You can try to organize a picnic in the fresh air, make simple meals with him and treat all family members. Build a big house from improvised means! Children love to build real towers from pillows and blankets. Read books, draw, play doctor or hairdresser. Play school: let the child complete simple tasks and get fives for them or colored stickers - whatever he likes. Hide the treasure and try to find this treasure together, try to make a beautiful appliqué or origami. Play hide-and-seek, come up with a sports competition, watch a cartoon, make plasticine figures! May this weekend be fun and unforgettable!
