Stages of Development

Stage 1: Infancy ( 0 -18 months )

Can trust these people?

  • Trust, bonding and attachment 
  • Explain rules, boundaries and consequences 
  • Learning through exploration and being stimulated 
  • Between 10 and 18 months emotions are fully developed 

Stage 2: Toddlers (18 months – 2 years) 

Learning to think

  • Trust, bonding and attachment 
  • Working on ways to have needs met
  • Lack skills to do everything they want – may lead to frustration
  • Not able to handle complex emotions – may lead to tantrums
  • Not able to share 

Stage 3: Pre-School (2 – 4 years) 

Other people

  • ‘No’,’I want’,’gimme’ stage
  • High energy stage
  • Begin to master three skills – language, movement and imagination
  • Act out emotions and needs as unable to express them
  • Will copy everything you do
  • Learns through repetition

Stage 4: Primary School (4 – 11 years) 

I’ll do it my own way! 

  • Building confidence 
  • More responsibility & independence at school & home learn important social skills, playing with others, learning to share, to take turns, how to get along and make friends 
  • Frequently fall in and out of friendships

Stage 5: Adolescence ( 12 – 18 years)

I’ll do it my own way!

  • Establishing independence
  • “Who am I?” Developing identity separate from parents – parents are in the background 
  • Frequently fall in and out of friendships
  • Mistake prone by design 
  • Learn from doing & making mistakes 
  • Child to adult
  • Seeks peer approval 
  • The brain is not fully developed until mid 20’s

More Behaviour and Consequences

Children's changing behaviour

Children’s Challenging Behaviour

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