Knowing what kind of behavior to expect from your kid can make your life as a parent a lot easier. Your 4-year-old’s aggressive behavior might not only get on your nerves but also make you wonder if you’re a good parent at all. However, it’s normal for kids of this age, and the important thing is to be prepared and know how to deal with such situations.
Think the secret to great parenting lies in knowing in advance what behavioral and emotional peculiarities your child is going to have at every life stage. Let’s see what they are!
Newborn to 3 months
At this age, crying is the main way your baby can communicate their needs. And as a parent, you will learn to feel the difference between a cry that means your baby is hungry, tired, or feels some discomfort.
However, sometimes your child can start crying for no apparent reason and it’s important to always react to that and comfort the baby with touch and words. They need to feel that they’re safe, that they’re loved, and that they can trust you. Newborns can sense emotion in your voice, so it needs to be soothing and friendly to make the baby feel secure.
It’s also recommended that you sing to them, talk to them face-to-face, and swaddle them in a blanket to make them feel safe and to prevent them from making sudden movements that could startle them. Holding the baby in your arms and rocking them also creates an atmosphere of safety for them.
4 to 6 months
7 to 12 months
1 to 2 years
3 years
Now your child begins to play with other children and shares toys with them, and it’s important to encourage them to do that. Temper tantrums become less common. Your 3-year-old might start being afraid of certain things, like the dark or a monster under their bed.
You should also encourage them to do as much as possible on their own, and tell them how proud you are when they show you a picture that they’ve drawn, a figure they’ve made out of Play-Doh, or anything else they’ve done on their own.
4 to 5 years
Children of this age can follow the rules, but they don’t understand what’s right and what’s wrong yet. They want to be more independent and they believe their thoughts can make things happen, so it’s important to encourage them to make choices on their own. They’re also more curious about the world.
4-year-olds can have mood swings and even become aggressive, fight with siblings, and threaten to run away. In contrast, 5-year-olds get along with parents, they have better manners, they are more responsible, and they want to make others happy.
This is when you should teach your child how to express anger appropriately and put them in time-out if they misbehave. You should encourage them to talk openly about how they feel and compliment them on good behavior.
6 to 12 years
13 to 18 years
