We just had our class meeting. I love our class meetings because our teacher always gives us a picture of where our children are developmentally. The 9 year change is a big one - the children start realizing that they are an individual, they recognize mortality. Many will start saying things like, "No one likes me."
That is good to know because as parents, I think most tend to try and "fix" things for their children and some might feel alarmed when they hear this. Knowing that this is common and we don't have to go searching out why this is to try and fix it, is helpful.
The gesture of the 9/10 year old is an "X". When our teacher said that, everything in the past few weeks and what I continue to see in my child makes sense. X = No. X = Stay away. X also = I protect myself. Apparently, for children who are having episodes, if you cross their arms across their body and hold them, they tend to calm down.
My child currently is very opinionated on what she wants. So, we try to accommodate within reason. At this age, it's good to help children find confidence and allow them to spread their wings a bit in a safe manner, if possible. I feel good that this past summer offer some instances for confidence building by chance. The babes took her first flight solo and she took a vaulting lesson (gymnastics on horses) and successfully did a hand stand on a horse! Confidence boosters for sure!
Since I've learned about child development, it's really made being a parent easier. Knowing what to expect from my child helps to stop and think about how best to approach situations. I now look at babies in a whole different light. They are fascinating as opposed to confounding.
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