Humans are lifelong learners, and the people around us majorly influence our early development. We learn how to behave in society from the environment we grow up in, and for most of us, learning starts at home.
Early learning primarily takes place in two forms. Often a child is instructed to do something; the rest of the learning is from observing people around. A child’s primary social group is the family, which majorly influences a child’s learning and development.
A solid foundation helps build a better human out of every child. Child development happens physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. We cannot stress more how essential the family is in the development of a child.
The family is responsible for building core human values in a child by shaping their skills and providing them security during early childhood development.
Importance of Values
As a society, we have norms and values. Understanding the difference between right and wrong is the principal value builder.
Treating someone with disrespect in front of your child sends a wrong signal to a child’s mind making them think that it’s okay to treat someone with disrespect. Often adults forget that a child is watching them. Remember, a young mind is like a sponge that absorbs everything.
We desire to teach our children compassion, respect, responsibility, empathy and more. It’s also essential to teach your child the difference between right and wrong. Giving your child responsibilities like cleaning around the house or cleaning their play area gives them a sense of responsibility. Ask your kid to cheer up a sibling or friend when sad or sick; this seeds empathy and helps your child understand how their actions positively or negatively impact a person.
Adults learn to differentiate between right and wrong, but a child may not be able to determine what’s right and wrong. The family needs to ensure that the child watches appropriate content online. Make sure they consume movies and content that are age-appropriate.
Teaching kids values that help them navigate life is a complex task and requires patience. Be conscious of your reactions when they commit a mistake; try to keep yourself composed if it’s a simple mistake. Laugh it away and teach what’s the right thing to do, so your child does not hesitate to try new things.
At the end of the day, you will always be your kid’s first role model.
Remember to exhibit your best self with family, friends and every other person in general, especially when children are around.
Teach Skills
Your child starts developing motor skills, cognitive skills, language skills, and emotional skills from birth. It’s the family’s responsibility to help the child learn motor skills effectively. Your child learns all these skills faster with known people. As adults, all these skills come to us naturally, but that’s because they were fine-tuned when we were young. These skills enable a sense of individuality essential to their overall development.
Teaching your children language skills at a very young age is essential for child development. If you don’t encourage your child to learn a language, say your mother tongue, they may never learn it. So, communicate with your child, teach them your language, and make it fun, if possible.
Another essential skill is Emotion; it is vital for child development as they help them get through the highs and lows of life. It teaches them empathy and compassion towards people around them and, most importantly, understand how they feel about themselves. Their ability to express their emotions will help them handle both good and bad outcomes in the future.
As babies, you can teach them how to smile and wave. As they grow older, teach them basic emotions and indulge them in the habit of sharing their experiences and feelings. When a child is feeling a certain way, it is helpful to name the emotions, giving them a better understanding of emotions as a whole.
Social Skills
Your child observes and learns from your interactions with other family members and friends and how you treat them. By socialising with family members, your child will seek friendships, learn how to trust, and be comfortable with others. Children need to learn how to make and sustain relationships.
The rise of technology has made us distant; even the pandemic has contributed significantly to the online switch. We, as adults, know how to interact with others. That’s why we have to help our children build their interpersonal skills before becoming acquainted with the technology.
Learning and understanding how face to face conversations take place in real life are essential for a child’s development. The ability to interpret responses, facial expressions, tone of voice and emotional cues need to be done in person. Talking to your children about their day helps them engage in conversations, makes them more open to face-to-face conversations, and builds their interpersonal skills.
Security
Make your child feel secure around you and the other family members. Your home must be a safe space for your child to learn and explore. Let the creative juices flow; let them make a mess. Remember that the most effective way to handle kids is to think before snubbing them.
We hope our article has helped you understand how the family affects a child’s early stage development process.