Guess what? Your kids and teens won’t stay in the same frame of mind forever! This can be either wonderful or distressing, depending on what stage of parenting you are in. Dr. Arnold Gesell demonstrated over 60 years ago that child development advances in a spiral pattern, going from one extreme to another. His theories still hold true today. For example, here are some typical teen-aged behaviors over a span of 3 years:
When you see a child building a tower of blocks, chasing a friend around the yard, or two little girls playing “teacher” what comes to your mind? Is it that they are learning lifelong skills that will help them form into productive adults? Of course not, but that is what is happening. Through each adventure in play children are discovering new ideas and concepts. They are learning to listen to their friends and to compromise on activities. They are learning to exercise authority while learning at the same time what behaviors will not go over well.
