Louise Bates Ames (1906–1996)

With the usual caveats that every child is an individual, the authors identify typical developmental behavior for Fives: a good grasp of their own capabilities, and a desire to stay close to home, especially to parents. Less wild and adventuresome than Fours, sometimes even "angelic" or "too good to be true," so "enjoy it!"

The "Your #-Year-Old" series, despite being full of outdated attitudes (especially toward gender, and spanking) is still worthwhile for its guidance on child show more development.

In addition to the usual "Equilibrium/Disequilibrium" chart (p. 10), this book contains a "Withdrawal/Expansion" chart, showing "withdrawal" at ages 3 1/2, 5, and 7 years (p. 81)

Quotes

If school attendance causes home behavior to go to pieces, something is wrong. (66)

Nobody likes to be told "I hate you," but when it is said by the very young child it usually means little more than "I'm unhappy, sad, mixed up, tired, frustrated, and I'm going to take it out on anybody or everybody in sight."
As a rule it does not mean "I have thought things over carefully and I really do hate you." (106) show less

Your Seven-Year-Old is devoted to the delightful but often anxious and withdrawn child of Seven. Although any seven-year-old will have moments of exuberance, security, and happiness, in general this is an age of introspection. As it begins, parents and teachers may welcome the quiet after the tussles and tangles of Six. But once the child of Seven starts to withdraw it's almost as though he doesn't know where or when to stop. Seven-year-olds feel picked on by family, friends, and teachers show more alike; they worry that no one likes them; they expect every little task to prove too difficult to handle; tears come easily at this age.
With wit and wisdom, Dr. Ames of the highly respected Gesell Institute and Carol Chase Haber offer insights into what children this age are feeling and thinking, and how parents can best deal with these moody, serious Sevens.

Included in this book:
- New body awareness
- Sulking
- Concerns about fairness
- Stories from real life
- Fascination with horror, gore
- Threats of running away from home
- Life in the second grade
- Books for Sevens and the parents of Sevens show less

Mostly a book designed to encourage parents going through the roughly fifteen- to twenty-one-month fussy phase, at its worst around eighteen months. Plenty of funny stories and good information about what can reasonably expected of this age group, and more importantly, what can’t—like potty training or “minding.”

This is an oldie, but it’s still in print for a reason. It takes parents through the difficulties they may have with their three-year-old—or, more to the point, their three-and-a-half-year-old, and how to work around those difficulties. It’s not so much about how to get your kid to “obey” as how to understand what’s going on with your little one and adjust your expectations accordingly. Many kids this age, apparently, seem to go backwards—they are less obedient, less show more “easy,” and even their motor skills may seem poorer (as in drawing a shakier line or walking down stairs with less confidence).

What can parents do? Hiring a babysitter more often and/or putting the child in preschool is really their best suggestion (many kids are more tractable for anyone besides “Mother”), with a close second being to remove as many sources of conflict as possible. If your kid wants to eat nothing but, say, chicken nuggets and bananas, go with it. S/he won’t eat? Serve your child’s meal, then leave the room and tell them to call you when they’re done eating. Another way to get less emotionally involved is to, for instance, close your eyes and tell your child to tell you when they’ve gotten out of the bath. Parents may also enjoy reading about some the advances that kids this age are making that might not be obvious. A better understanding of the child’s capabilities and limitations can be helpful. And the datedness of the book adds a little further interest—might help today’s parents dial their expectations back. show less