Understanding Child Development

1. Understanding Child Development Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

2. Jesus as a Child And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with men (Luke 2:52) • We want to help children grow: Intellectually Physically Spiritually Socially Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

3. Why look at child development? “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) • If we want to be good care-givers, understanding child development will help us be free to serve children Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

4. Child Development Stages Stage Issues • In Utero Acceptance • 0-6 months Security, Trust • 6-18 months Mobility, Initiative, Motivation • 18-36 months Limits, Good Choices • 3-6 years Identity, Fitting into the World • 6-12 years Developing Skills & Confidence • 12-17 years Revisit earlier stages (2nd chance to develop before adulthood Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

5. In Utero - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Physical care Mother gets proper diet, rest, and prenatal care • Psychological care Healthy emotional environment for child to feel accepted • Spiritual care Pray, sing, speak the Word of God Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

6. In Utero – Problems Problems Results of Problems • Mother doesn’t Child feels that mother doesn’t take care of self care about him/her; lack of a feeling of acceptance • Mother fears Child gets a spirit of fear losing the baby • Mother in strife Child gets a spirit of strife • Mother doesn’t Child feels unwantedwant to be pregnant Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

7. Spirit of fear or timidity For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

8. 0-6 months - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Physical care, Feed, bathe, change the babyAbility to trust properly, respondingFeeling of security appropriately to cries for help • Psychological care Cuddle baby, show affection show unconditional love • Spiritual care Pray, sing, speak the Word of God Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

9. 0-6 months – Problems Problems Results of Problems • Demand feed Child tends to think life has (ie., instant no problems; can’t understandgratification people who have problems • Neglect feeding Child tends to think that he/she or schedule feed is incapable of solving problems(ie., at set times) on his/her own in life; passive • Cries ignored, Child learns to ignore his/herlack of affection feelings, insecurity, lack of trust Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

10. 6-18 months - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Mobility and Encourage and protect them asfreedom to they crawl, walk, discover objectstake initiative • Develop Go out of way to allow the childself-motivation to safely explore objects & places and have max. mobility practical • Spiritual care Show unconditional love; Pray, sing, speak the Word of God Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

11. 6-18 months – Problems Problems Results of Problems • Restrict mobility Cheat the child out of healthy muscular development, initiative, self-motivation • Fail to protect child Possibly see the child get hurt • Excessive Teach child conditional love, correction Teach fear of man Teach desire to control people • Toilet train Teach child fear of man and/or too soon cause problem using toilet later Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

12. Self-motivation Each man should give whatever he has decided in his heart to give – not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver .(2 Corinthians 9:7) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

13. Excessive correction It is not good to punish an innocent man or flog officials for their integrity. (Proverbs 17:26) • Excessive correction is not good for children; it can only cheat them, harm them, and/or cause problems later in life. Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

14. Unconditional Love We love because he first loved us.(I John 4:19) • True love depends on God’s love, so our love for children depends on our perception of God’s love, not on a child’s worthiness to be loved. Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

15. Fear of Man Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25) The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27) • Proper care at age 6-18 months can help a child learn to not fear men Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

16. Control – definition 1) To exercise authority over; direct; command2) A spirit supposed to direct the actions and speech of a spiritualistic medium (i.e., a force behind witchcraft) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

17. Power (control) belongs to Jesus Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

18. Powers (controllers)against God For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(Ephesians 6:12) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

19. Control of self The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22,23) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

20. Control of others When we eliminate someone’s freedom of choice simply so things go our way, we are introducing spiritual forces that are not of God. Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

21. Even God gives us freedom of choice “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God …”(Deuteronomy 11:26-28) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

22. 18-36 months - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Learn limits Give some reasonable rulesand boundaries and expectations so as to have some confrontation so the child can begin to learn obedience • Learn to see Instruction on proper social others’ feelings behavior • Permission to Allow the 2 year old to bebe 2 oppositional, compulsive, and negative until he/she decides on his/her own to act properly (Some adults still act like 2 b/c didn’t have this opportunity) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

23. 18-36 months – Problems Problems Results of Problems • No rules Child fails to learn responsibilityor discipline for actions • Too many rules Man-pleaser and/or anxietyor too rigid rules (Attention Deficit Disorder), withdrawal, negative behavior, speech problems, dishonesty desire to control people • Expectations Pass on spirit of anger,Enforced with Anger Exasperate child Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

24. Exasperation Fathers, do not exasperate your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) Exasperate = provoke to anger Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

25. Discipline • Training which corrects, strengthens, molds or perfects • The goal is to teach consequences of behavior not to give retribution for crime. • One method is to spank (not in anger) • Another method is to put child in corner until he/she decides to do what is right Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

26. 3-6 years - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Learn identity Set good example;and role in family Let them think and have opinions; and the world Acceptance of who they are • Learn reality Patiently answer all questions& gather information Expect some distorted perceptions of reality; affirm/reinforce what they know • Help child avoid Provide consistent andfear structured parenting Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

27. 3-6 years – Problems Problems Results of Problems • Want girl to Homosexual tendenciesbe like a boy • Too many rules Man-pleaser and/or phobias or too rigid rules trauma, irrational fears • Not answer Anxiety, learning problems questionsor tease orridicule Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

28. 6-12 years - Needs Needs Meeting the Needs • Develop skills, Opportunities to test various skillsFind talents with same sex friends • Test values Let them discuss values friends to yours, but teach what Bible says • Physical activity Encourage sports activity(especially boys) Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

29. 6-12 years – Problems Problems Results of Problems • Make child Frustration; difficult prioritizing,stick with one Difficulty knowing how to startactivity or stop something later • Push the idea Kill the child’s natural love of of achievement learning • Impose own Child avoids doing things withmethods on child you or else learns to achieve or dominate for unhealthy reasonsskill-learning Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

30. 12-17 years Revisit the needs and causes from the first 12 years God in his infinite wisdom gives us 2nd chances – as kids and parents Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

31. Child Development Stages Stage Issues • In Utero Acceptance • 0-6 months Security, Trust • 6-18 months Mobility, Initiative, Motivation • 18-36 months Limits, Good Choices • 3-6 years Identity, Fitting into the World • 6-12 years Developing Skills & Confidence • 12-17 years Revisit earlier stages (2nd chance to develop before adulthood Keys to understanding God's plan for human development

32. Understanding Child Development Keys to understanding God's plan for human development