Stages of emotional development

Stage: From Birth to 2 Years Old
 

1. Physical Development

• 0-1 month:

•  Primitive Reflexes: The newborn has automatic reflexes essential for survival, such as the sucking reflex, grasping reflex, and Moro reflex (startle response). These reflexes help the baby adapt to the external environment.
   

• Muscle Control: The baby has limited control over their body but begins to strengthen the neck muscles, especially around the head area.
   

• Sleep and Feeding: The baby sleeps between 16-18 hours a day, and feeding is done mainly through breastfeeding or formula.
  
   

• 2-3 months:

• Increase in Muscle Strength: The baby can hold their head briefly when lying on their stomach.
   

• Visual and Auditory Coordination: Vision begins to improve. The baby can see at a short distance and follows objects with their eyes. They also begin to recognize familiar sounds, like the voices of parents.
   

• Social Smiling: At this age, the baby begins to intentionally smile, reflecting their interest in human interaction.
   

• 4-6 months:

• Movement and Head Control: The baby can now hold their head steady without help and often turns or moves toward sounds.
   

• Rolling Over: By 4 months, the baby may start to roll from belly to back and vice versa.
   

• Grasping and Handling Objects: The baby can reach for and hold objects, exploring the world through their hands. By now, they may start bringing things to their mouth to investigate them.
  
   

• 7-9 months:

• Sitting Up and Balancing: The baby can sit without support for short periods. Some babies begin crawling or scooting.
   

• Increased Coordination: The baby is able to coordinate their movements better and can grab smaller objects with a pincer grasp.
   

• Increased Social Interaction: The baby begins to show a stronger attachment to caregivers and may experience stranger anxiety, indicating a growing sense of self-awareness.
   

• 10-12 months:

• First Steps: Around 12 months, some babies start to take their first steps, although many still need support.
   

• Improved Hand Control: By the end of this stage, the baby has more control over their hands and can start to use objects with greater skill (e.g., turning pages in a book).
   

• Sounds and Vocalization: The baby starts babbling repetitive syllables like "ba-ba" or "da-da," although these still don't carry meaning.
   

• 12-18 months:

• Walking: By around 12 months, the child begins to walk, which is a significant milestone in motor development.
   

• Greater Mobility and Exploration: The child is much more mobile now and actively explores their environment. They begin to enjoy walking, climbing stairs with assistance, and playing more independently.
   

• Sensory Development: The child's senses continue to improve, and they become more aware of tastes, sounds, and smells in their surroundings.
   

• 18-24 months:

• Running and Jumping: By 18 months, the child may start running with some clumsiness, and by 24 months, they may begin to jump and climb.
   

• Fine Motor Skills: The child refines fine motor skills and can stack blocks or use utensils like a spoon or fork with more precision.
   

• Self-dressing: Some children start to attempt to dress or undress themselves, although they still need a lot of help.
   

• 2 Cognitive Development
   

• 0-3 months:

• Sensory Perception: Although vision is still developing, the baby can distinguish between light and darkness and begins to focus on faces. Hearing improves rapidly, and the baby starts recognizing familiar voices, like those of parents.
   

• Reflexes and Exploration: The baby explores the world mainly through reflexes, such as the sucking reflex when offered the breast or bottle.
   

• 3-6 months:

• Object Permanence: At this age, the baby begins to understand that objects continue to exist even if they are not seen, marking an important cognitive milestone.
   

• Language Development: The baby begins making more complex sounds and is able to differentiate between sounds more clearly.
   

• 6-12 months:

• Memory Development: The baby develops short-term memory, allowing them to remember familiar people and objects.
   

• Basic Understanding of the Environment: While they cannot speak, babies begin to recognize words and simple phrases that are used frequently, like "mom" and "dad."
   

• 12-18 months:

• Imitation: By 12 months, the child starts imitating what they see, such as trying to brush their teeth or speaking in "language" that is not comprehensible but reflects what they hear adults say.
   

• Learning Through Exploration: The child develops a clearer sense of their surroundings and begins to take an interest in exploring objects by manipulating them and observing how they work.
   

• 18-24 months:

• Symbolic Thinking: By 2 years old, the child begins to develop symbolic thinking, meaning they can use objects to represent other things (e.g., using a spoon to pretend they're driving a car).
   

• Emerging Language: Vocabulary expands considerably, and the child starts using words more consistently. While language skills are still developing, they can form short phrases like "more juice" or "mom come."
   

• 3 Emotional and Social Development
   

• 0-3 months:

• Emotional Bonding: In the early months, the baby forms an emotional attachment to their parents or primary caregivers. Crying is the main form of communication to express hunger, discomfort, or fatigue.
   

• Recognition of Emotions: While the baby cannot verbalize their emotions, they begin to recognize facial expressions of the people around them and respond to them.
   

• 3-6 months:

• Social Smiling and Affection: The baby begins smiling intentionally and enjoying social interactions, especially with their parents. They may laugh when playing or being tickled.
   

• Stranger Anxiety: By around 6 months, the baby may show anxiety when around unfamiliar people, which reflects a deeper attachment to primary caregivers.
   

• 6-12 months:

• Attachment and Separation Anxiety: Attachment to parents and caregivers intensifies, and the child may become anxious when separated from them.
   

• Social Exploration: The baby begins to explore their environment and other people, enjoying interactions with other children or familiar adults.
   

• 12-18 months:

• Search for Independence: The child starts developing their own personality and may show a desire for independence, such as wanting to do things on their own, though they still need guidance from adults.
   

• Imitating Emotions: The child begins to imitate the emotions and behaviors they observe, which helps them understand and express their own emotions.
   

• 18-24 months:

• Development of Identity: The child begins to recognize themselves as a separate person from their parents, leading to the formation of their identity. The word "I" is used more to refer to themselves.
   

• Frustration and Emotional Control: Frustration from not being able to do everything they want becomes more common. The child experiences emotional shifts, such as tantrums, as they try to manage their desires and limitations.
   

• This period between birth and 2 years old is crucial for childhood development, as it sets the foundation for cognition, motor skills, and social interactions throughout life. Each child progresses at their own pace, but these stages reflect common milestones that most children go through.