 |
Ideas for Care Givers Spend time with your child. Talk with her about her friends, her accomplishments, and what challenges she will face. Be involved with your child’s school. Go to school events; meet your child’s teachers. Encourage your child to join school and community groups, such as a team sport, or to take advantage of volunteer opportunities. Help your child develop his own sense of right and wrong. Talk with him about risky things friends may pressure him to do, like smoking or dangerous physical dares. Help your child develop a sense of responsibility—involve your child in household tasks. Talk to your child about saving and spending money wisely. Meet the families of your child’s friends. Talk with your child about respecting others. Encourage your child to help people in need. Talk with him or her about what to do when others are not kind or are disrespectful. Help your child set his own goals. Encourage him to think about skills and abilities he would like to have and about how to develop them. Make clear rules and stick to them. Talk to your child about what you expect from her when no adults are supervising. If you provide reasons for rules, it will help your child to know what to do in those situations. Use discipline to guide and protect your child, instead of punishment to make him feel badly about himself. Talk with your child about the normal physical and emotional changes of puberty. Encourage your child to read every day. Talk with her about her homework. Be affectionate and honest with your child, and do things together as a family. Develop a Chore Chart to include: Pick up Toys Fold Dishtowels and Washcloths Match Socks Put small items in the garbage Give food to pets Water indoor plants Load the dishwasher Answer the telephone Sweep a deck/patio/porch Wipe the bathroom sink Put forks and spoons away Put their own clothes in the drawer Sort laundry into color piles Use a hand-held vacuum Take out Garbage Set the table Clear the table Vacuum an area rug Clean the inside of the car Empty the dishwasher Put away clean dry dishes c.2005 - 2008 |
| Child Development |
| An Overview of the 9 Year Old Child Nine year olds are absorbed in their play interests and will spend hours at their chosen activities. They enjoy solitary play - video games, tv, reading, dolls, construction sets, or crafts. Nine-year-old boys and girls love sports, especially baseball, football, and basketball. They enjoy bicycling, skating, swimming, and other forms of active play, though they are not as proficient at them as they will be at ten. Many nine year olds will begin to show a great interest in reading. With these children, no pushing is needed from parents. Simply providing the opportunity to check out library books or to buy books is all parents need to do to help the child begin a lifelong love of books and reading. Some nine year olds are very interested in music and learning to play a musical instrument. They will readily attend lessons and practice to develop their skills. Other nines are obsessed with watching TV. Most nines know the days and times of a long list of favorite TV programs. TV programs are a frequent topic of conversation among nine year olds. In late elementary and middle school your child experiences a period of tremendous intellectual, social-emotional, and physical change. School demands increase, friends become as important as family, and puberty begins to reshape her body. This is also a time when individual differences among children become more apparent. Patterns of Development - more quiet than 8 - more self contained, more independent - form stronger, more complex friendships and peer relationships. It becomes more emotionally important to have friends, especially of the same sex. - experience more peer pressure. - become more independent from the family. - become more aware of his or her body as puberty approaches. Body image and eating problems sometimes start around this age - tends to resist too much "bossing" by his/her parents or teachers - much more interested in friends than family - it is important for adults not to impose themselves to much. He/She wants and need his/her maturity, independence and separateness respected - an age of perfecting skills - may tend to worry - may be an age of considerable rebellion - maintain interest in team games and learning to perform skillfully - better control own speed - take an interest in development of own strength - accomplish a variety of skills - make finished products - build complex structures - use handwriting - sketch and draw in detail - learn to sew and knit - take interest in watching games played by others - succeed in cooperative activity, with interest in the success of the group - think independently and critically - write instead of print with skillful style - take criticism if it is carefully phrased - are self motivated - likes to be busy - sense of fairness is very important - boys don't "like" girls; girls not quite so adamant about the boys - willing to work at school work or skill in order to become proficient in them - has varied emotions ranging from cheerful one minute to aggressive the next - loves to collect things - is beginning to develop a conscience Begins to move away from close association with family to peer group though still needs family support and encouragement. Accepts household responsibilities and chores. Begins to challenge family values with the values of peers and school. Their moral judgment is limited by the inability to appreciate the views of others. Learning to accept the consequence of their actions. Learning the nutritional value of "good foods" vs. junk food. Eats breakfast. Sleeps 8-10 hours. Able to wake on time in the morning. High energy level and muscular development require adequate opportunities for exercise. Supervised sports program in and out of school. TV watching limited. Safety issues: Accident prone children investigate causes.( awkwardness, dare devil behavior to get the attention of peers, unstable environment causing inattention and frustration. Cognitive Development Many nine year olds will begin to show a great interest in reading. With these children, no pushing is needed from parents. Simply providing the opportunity to check out library books or to buy books is all parents need to do to help the child begin a lifelong love of books and reading. Some nine year olds are very interested in music and learning to play a musical instrument. memorizes and recites facts, but may not show deep understanding reads to learn (rather than learning to read) has a strong desire to complete tasks keeps train of thought and will continue work even after interruptions able to use a dictionary very interested in mastering skills critical thinking starting to emerge beginning be aware of right and wrong (versus good and bad) Language Development Many nine year olds will begin to show a great interest in reading. With these children, no pushing is needed from parents. Simply providing the opportunity to check out library books or to buy books is all parents need to do to help the child begin a lifelong love of books and reading. More complex sentences used. Increased in vocabulary. Careless enunciation observed Physical Development Development of secondary sex characteristics. Girls growth spurt at 9-14 years. Breast enlargement at 8-13 years. Menses at 10-16 years. Boys growth spurt at 10.5-13.5 years, enlarged testes at 9.5-13.5 years. uses tools, such as a hammer or small garden tools, fairly well draws with great detail may persist with an activity until exhausted interested in own strength; boys enjoy wrestling Social and Emotional Development Nine year old children have reached a level of self-organization in which positive emotions are most often felt. He shows more responsibility, independence, obedience, and ability to get along with others. Nine likes to plan his days, and is persistent in completing his plans. Parents can enhance the nine year old feelings of emotional security by encouraging this planning urge, talking about the family's plans, and helping him to organize his days. Feelings of empathy and altruism are now apparent in the child, and he is a good and devoted friend. The nine year old is easily redirected when she exhibits negative emotions or bad behavior. When she becomes upset, it is usually at herself, as she is sensitive to criticism and easily embarrassed. Because this is a period of emotional integration, some emotional swings are still seen. may experience wide mood swings may be critical of self and others may use physical complaints to avoid unpleasant tasks often dislikes the opposite sex intensely responsible; can be depended upon and trusted puts great importance on fairness, in self and in others likes to talk and share ideas Typical Problems Nine is very much concerned with the demands and constraints of time and space. His day is full of places to be and tasks to be accomplished and he is concerned with the time allotted for each activity. He plans his day, knowing what must be done and when, and often feels pressure to meet the demands of doing all that must be done in a certain amount of time. Nine generally responds to this time pressure by working hard, but with his tendency toward anxiety, wise parents may take the initiative to limit some of his activities. Parents may also teach him to take one thing at a time and finish it to encourage a sense of accomplishment and mastery. |
 |
| Child Development Notes The 1 Year Old The 2 Year Old The 3 Year Old The 4 Year Old The 5 Year Old The 6 Year Old The 7 Year Old The 8 Year Old The 9 Year Old The Pre-Teen Child |
| The best things in life aren't things!
- Author unknown |