Step+by+Step+by+Kyle+Conway

The Development of Children in Comparison with the studies of Freud and Erikson.  **One Month**: Lifts head a little when lying on stomach, Responds to sound, Stares at faces, Follows objects, Makes sounds - oohs and ahhs, Can see black-and-white patterns, and Holds head at a 45-degree angle.

**Two Months**: Vocalizes more sounds - gurgling and cooing, Holds head up briefly at a 45-degree angle, Smiles and laughs in response to others smiling at them, Movements become smoother, and Rolls onto side.

**Three Months**: Holds head steady, Recognizes your face and scent, Vocalizes more sounds – squealing, Able to push up with arms when lying on stomach, Turns toward loud sounds, Bears weight on legs, Able to roll over, Shows active arm and leg movement, and Able to track moving objects with their eyes.

**Four Months**: Able to grasp toys, Reaches out for objects, Rolling over from front-to-back and back-to-front, Imitates speech sounds.

**Five Months**: Able to distinguish between bold colors, Plays with hands and feet, Turns toward new sounds, Recognizes own name, May cut first tooth, Laughs out loud, Likes to play.

**Six Months**: Turns toward sounds and voices, Blows bubbles, Changes objects from hand-to-hand and from hand-to-mouth, Sits with little support, Begins to eat solid foods.

**Seven Months**: Sits without support and changes position, Reaches for objects with a sweeping motion

**Eight months**: Imitates sounds (babbles), Begins to make word-like sounds, Begins to lunge forward and crawl

**Nine Months**: Stands or cruises while holding onto furniture, Points at objects, bangs objects together and passes objects from hand-to-hand, Picks things up via a thumb-finger pinching-type grasp

**Ten Months**: Starts to explore with toys, Speaks "Mama", waves goodbye

**Eleven Months**: Can stand alone, Walks around furniture with both hands being held.

**Twelve Months**: Walks with one hand held, Says more than just Mama and Dada.


 * One Year to One and a Half Years**: Able to walk without support, Can handle some self-feeding, Drinks from a cup, Use voice inflection, Able to say 5 to 10 words, Scribbles with crayons.

Up to this point is what Erikson identifies as the **Oral-Sensory Stage** due to the likelihood that infants explore with their mouth. The major emphasis is on the mother's positive and loving care for the child, with a big emphasis on visual contact and touch. If we pass successfully through this period of life, we will learn to trust that life is basically okay and have basic confidence in the future. If we fail to experience trust and are constantly frustrated because our needs are not met, we may end up with a deep-seated feeling of worthlessness and a mistrust of the world in general.

Freud also identifies this stage by **Oral fixation**. At this age, babies learn about the world by putting things in their mouths. They see toys or cookies or anything, and the first thing they'll do is put it in their mouth. If a person becomes fixated (stays in) at this stage, s/he will exhibit oral behaviors as an adult, like smoking, compulsive eating, etc.

**One and a Half Years to Two Years**: May begin to run, Begins to climb up and down stairs, Comprehends easy instructions, Can use a fork and a spoon, Able to throw a ball underhand, Can pretend play, Attempts to take off own clothes with assistance, Learns words at a rapid rate (approximately 10 words per day), Can form 2- to 3-word sentences, Able to throw a ball overhand,Can kick a ball forward, Can build a short block tower, Begins to sing simple songs

**Two to Three Years**: Uses simple pronouns (I, me, you, mine), Uses 3-word sentences, Builds tower of 8 blocks, Uses fork with ease, Takes steps backward for 10 feet, Climbs ladders on playground slides, Jumps from 8" height, Puts on coat, t-shirt, Runs on whole foot, starts/stops with ease, avoids obstacles, Spontaneous speech, 75% understandable, Uses,"No", in relation to whether object is one named, Holds pencil in fingers rather than in hand, Snips at paper with scissors, Pedals tricycle, Walks well on toes, Up stairs, alternates feet, holds rail, Stands on tiptoe if shown

From 18 Months to 3 Years is Erikson's **Muscular Anal Stage**. During this stage we learn to master skills for ourselves. Not only do we learn to walk, talk and feed ourselves, we are learning finer motor development as well as the much appreciated toilet training. Here we have the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy as we gain more control over our bodies and acquire new skills, learning right from wrong. And one of our skills during the "Terrible Two's" is our ability to use the powerful word "NO!" It may be pain for parents, but it develops important skills of the will.

Freud Extends his **Anal Stage** into year four. This is when children are beginning to potty train, and become aware of this part of their anatomy. There's a lot of focus on it because of toilet training, and a child (who doesn't cooperate) can react one of two ways: anal retentive, or anal expulsive. The anal retentive child refuses to use the toilet at all, because he cannot go where he pleases. As an adult the anal retentive person is fussy, meticulous, overly organized, and sometimes anti-social. The anal expulsive child reacts violently, by soiling his pants or other areas, in protest against using the toilet. He proves he will put his feces anywhere he likes. The anal expulsive adult is brash, unorganized, and often unconcerned with others' feelings.

Erikson's **Locomotor Genital Stage** occurs from age 3-5. During this period we experience a desire to copy the adults around us and take initiative in creating play situations. We make up stories with Barbie's and Ken's, toy phones and miniature cars, playing out roles in a trial universe, experimenting with the blueprint for what we believe it means to be an adult. We also begin to use that wonderful word for exploring the world—"WHY?" While Erikson was influenced by Freud, he downplays biological sexuality in favor of the psychosocial features of conflict between child and parents. Nevertheless, he said that at this stage we usually become involved in the classic "Oedipal struggle" and resolve this struggle through "social role identification." If we're frustrated over natural desires and goals, we may easily experience guilt.

Freud's **Genital Stage** runs from age 4-6. At this age, children become aware of their genitals and frequently masturbate. How they react depends on how their parents react, should they catch them in the act. If their parents are upset, they may find the genitals dirty and shameful. If their parents ignore the behavior, it may or may not have consequences. This stage is also identified by the Oedipal struggle, in which the child begins idolizing the parent of the same sex and resenting the parent of the opposite sex. Most people can recognize young children going through an idolizing stage with the parent they are least like (the opposite-sex parent), and even being jealous of the attention the same-sex parent gives him/her. Others might disagree and say this occurs because the opposite-sex parent is a novelty, and jealousy occurs because children are very self-centered at a young age. Regardless; Freud saw it as a sexual focus.

From age 6 to age 11 is called Erikson's **Latency Stage**. During this stage, often called the Latency, we are capable of learning, creating and accomplishing numerous new skills and knowledge, thus developing a sense of industry. This is also a very social stage of development and if we experience unresolved feelings of inadequacy and inferiority among our peers, we can have serious problems in terms of competence and self-esteem. As the world expands a bit, our most significant relationship is with the school and neighborhood. Parents are no longer the complete authorities they once were, although they are still important.

Freud categorizes **Latency** as the stage in which the sexual urges driving the child were absent, and he claimed no significant ground of psychological development were covered until Adolescence, in which the individual then obsesses with the act of intercourse for a nearly indefinite period.