How Important Are the First 7 Years of a Child’s Life?

It is said that the most important stages of a child's development take place until the age of 7. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle said, "Show me a child by the age of seven, and I will tell you what it will be like when he becomes an adult."

The first seven years of life may not mean everything, but studies show that these seven years are the most important in the development of a child's soft abilities.

The braid develops rapidly n the first years of life.

Scientists say that in the first years of life, the child's brain develops rapidly. By the time the pups are 3 years old, their brains are already forming one million neural connections per minute. These links become the brain's mapping system, consisting of a combination of nature and food, especially the "give and return" interaction.

In the first year of life, cries are common signs for both the baby and the caregiver. The interaction of giving and returning takes place when the caregiver responds to the baby's crying by feeding, changing the diaper, or falling asleep.

However, as babies grow, the "give and take" relationship can also be expressed through games of loyalty. These interactions show the children that you are paying attention to them and that you are interested in what they are trying to say. They can be the basis for how a child learns social norms, develops communication and relationship skills.

Stressors - such as financial worries, marital misunderstandings, and illness will hurt your child's development, especially if they disrupt the "give and take" relationship. A parent cannot be considered bad if he has a busy work schedule or uses his mobile phone a lot.

It is important that parents, even if they have a stressful lifestyle, get involved as much as possible in the education of their children, from the first years of life. Attention is one of the tools that teach them to be more present in their children's lives.

By paying attention when she needs it, you will know what your children want, what expectations they have, and so you can become best friends.

Awareness is an important skill. Your behavior can influence his or her attachment style and the development of future relationships.

Attachment styles affect how the child develops future relationships

Attachment styles are another crucial part of a child's development. In 1969, researcher Mary Ainsworth conducted a study on babies and came to a strange finding. She observed how babies react when their mother leaves the room, and how they respond when she returns.

Based on her observations, it was concluded that there are four styles of attachment that children can have:

• sure

• anxious-insecure

• anxious-avoiding

• disorganized

Ainsworth found that safe babies feel in trouble when their caregiver leaves, but they are happy when he or she returns. On the other hand, impatient children are upset before the caregiver leaves and are impatient when they return.

Anxious children are not upset by the absence of their caregiver, nor are they happy when he returns to the room.

Disorganized attachment is valid for physically and emotionally abused children. It is difficult for them to feel protected by the people in their care.

"Attachment is needed to cope with life's challenges," said Hilary Jacobs Hendel, a psychotherapist specializing in attachment and trauma. "And secure attachment is the ideal style," said the specialist.

Children who are confident in their parents' attachment may feel sad when they leave, but they are happy when their parents return. This state shows that their relationship is trustworthy. As they grow up, children with secure attachments have friendly relationships with their parents, teachers, and friends. They see these interactions as "safe" places where their needs are met.

"Attachment styles are established at the beginning of life and can influence a person's satisfaction in adulthood. As a psychologist, I have seen how attachment style can influence intimate relationships. For example, children who feel less protected by their parents because their emotions are neglected are more prone to anxiety, "says Hendel.

Adults are often afraid of this close contact and may even "reject" others to protect themselves from pain. Anxious and insecure adults may fear abandonment, becoming hypersensitive to rejection.

When students reach first or second grade, children begin to make friends.

"When my daughter was 7 years old, she was able to verbalize her desire to find a friend. As parents, we cannot control every aspect of our child's well-being. But what we can do is encourage them, guide them.

We can show them how we manage their feelings so that when they face their own failed relationships, divorce, or stress at work, they can think about how their mom or dad reacted when they were young, "says Handel.