Parenting Kindergarten to Middle School

You as a parent may have thought sending your child off to Kindergarten for the first time was the hardest feat you had to endure, but I'm sorry to say the struggles only continue as they progress through elementary school. Parents worry about if their child is measuring up and developing properly on schedule both cognitively and socially. Parents worry about behaviors with interacting with other classmates and whether what their child is doing is normal for their age. The list goes on and on. As a parent, you will always worry from the day the are born to the day you die about your children and this is completely normal. However, I have created a list of desirable characteristics for this age group based again on Piaget's, Erikson's, and Kohlberg's theories with parenting steps to help develop these golden traits. These desirable characteristics are goals that as a parent you can aim to help your child achieve throughout elementary school and heading into middle school. Acknowledging these central steps toward success can help further broaden your parental background and help you to look more deeply into the progress of your child.

Elementary Age Development (6-11 years)

1. Understanding of Conservation- the fact that physical properties of an object or substance does not change when appearances change but nothing is added or taken away
• As discussed in a earlier post, parents should aim to demonstrate conservation by showing the process you go through to obtain the same result.
• For example: measuring out the amount of fluid in two different sized cups that contain the same amount of fluid.
2. Uses Mental Operations for Problem Solving- solving problems by manipulating images in one's mind
• Parents can encourage using mental operations through problem solving games and uses of mental math and reading to self. As a parent, it is important to push a child to make and achieve goals, but at their own pace with the child's want and need for achievement.
• For example: Help your child set goals by writing them down and encourage them to use mental thought and representations.
3. Competence- confidence in oneself socially and intellectually
• As a parent, the largest role you can have in instilling competence in your child is most prominently through encouragement and affection toward your child. You can help your child by pushing your child to achieve goals, but also by being aware of their successes and making your approval known to your child.
• For example: Use encouraging words and help your child reach their goals
4. Moral Representation based upon acceptance by peers and authority
• As a parent, you will notice your child at this age will be very receptive to their morals depending on how you view them as a "Good Child." You can help shape you children's morals more directly at this time by teaching a child at this age what is societally right and wrong.
5. Moral Representation based upon Law-and-Order and rules
• Along with children at this age worrying about parental and peer acceptance, they will also be susceptible to rules based morality. You can also help children during this age by creating concrete rules in the household and make known laws.

Picture: http://www.fun-prep.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/K-5.jpg