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The beginning of the school-age years can be very exciting.
Although physical growth during this time is not as rapid, tremendous social
development occurs. Your child is learning to enjoy interacting with an
expanding new world.
Your child is becoming more and more independent. There are
many times you will offer to assist your child with a task and he
or she will quickly respond, "I can do it." It is
not uncommon for parents to feel both pleasure and disappointment. Many children
are preparing for entrance into a formal school setting. This is an exciting
event. Concerns about separation might be shared by both the parents and the
child. Your daily preparation for school will be easier because your 5-year-old
can dress himself or herself (except tying shoe laces). Interactive play activity with
peers becomes increasingly more important.
Verbal skills continue to develop. Your child should speak in
five-word sentences and be easily understood by strangers. Five-year-olds enjoy
tasks such as reciting their address and telephone number, counting objects (one
to 10), naming primary colors, and recalling parts of their favorite short
stories. Drawing, cutting, and pasting might be other favorite activities. (Most
5-year-olds can copy a square.)
Take pride in your child's new abilities. Give praise for
accomplishments.
Safety first
- Poison-proof your home, paying special attention to cabinets
at child level. In the event your child ingests a potentially harmful
substance, keep the container and call the poison control center at
1-800-222-1222. A representative will tell you what to do.
- Hot tap water should be less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Smoke detectors should be located on each level of your
home and outside each bedroom. Check them once a month and replace the
batteries once every six months.
- Keep firearms unloaded and in a locked cabinet if you must
have them in the home.
- Secure electrical cords and cover electrical outlets.
- Practice fire drills in the home.
- Your child should always wear a lap and shoulder belt in
the car.
- Your child should not ride a bike without a helmet.
- Discuss stranger safety.
- Your child should never swim without supervision. All pools
and water areas should be inaccessible to your child. Now is a good time to
begin teaching your child to swim.
- Until your child has learned to cross the street
independently, he or she should always be accompanied by an adult.
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