by Melanie Treinen

Created on: October 27, 2009   Last Updated: October 28, 2009

The first people in a child's life are their family, and from the day that a baby is born they are soaking up their sponge with what they pick up from their mothers and fathers. They will start growing and eventually start picking up things on their own, but for the first eighteen years of life they are going to be in the family nest learning the good and bad from their guardians.

The first year of a child's life are crucial. Babies observe and suck in so much. In this year they can already be impacted greatly by their parents behavior. For instance, if a baby does not get the care and love they need and deserve as an infant they will miss that growing step, which will effect them for the rest of their life. Not to say they will never be able to be a normal person, but not having that nurturing will more likely make them more insecure in the long run.

The years of two to six are important for developing that amazing imagination. This make-believe stage needs to be accompanied by the fun of the people you love the most, your parents! Children whose parents will go for a magic ride on a the living room carpet every now and then feel like they are able to explore the world with those around them. Exploring this magic with their parents also enables them to bond closer and feel like even if their playing by themselves flying through the house or exploring the deep caves behind the couch they always have you to run to and tell their awesome stories to, which will also encourage that imagination to grow and grow.

In the years of early adolescents a coming teenager needs their parents to help them gather the resources they need to problem solve, and how they should react to situations. They learn from their parents emotions and start to follow in the foot steps. If a child is in a household that isn't very put together they will continue to grow without the steps of development that they need to be a confident successful person. For the first eighteen years a good amount of time is spent learning and observing how your parents respond to the things around them, they are the first people you trust and they are the first people to teach you.

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