The Developing Stages of a Child

or rubs himself/herself with soup.

He or she understands and carries out some requests.

He or she opens drawers and examines its content.

He or she likes to pet one object onto another.

Your baby is one year old

Your eleventh-month baby treats himself/herself more and more as a personality.

He or she considers himself/herself as an independent person who knows

his or her size, needs, and preferences.

By the beginning of the month, your baby understands almost everything

that concerns everyday life. By the end of the month your baby’s

active vocabulary will consist of one or two words that appear in his

or her speech from time to time.

Some children can walk by their first birthday. Others stand on their

own, but walking is too hard for them yet. Your child will have to come

through falls and bumps, but the cries only occur because it offends him

or her that he or she can’t do something. Soon your baby will master

this process. As soon as your baby learns to walk along a straight line,

he or she will understand how to turn around and stop without falling

down. But don’t be surprised if he or she keeps on creeping even

after having learned to walk. Children who have just risen to their feet

often return to creeping as to a more reliable way to move.

The rate of weight increase is greatly reduced, partly because a child

spends more calories when moving than he or she did earlier. His or her

alimentary system is also more perfect, and he or she gets more useful

substances while eating. A baby can suddenly deny a favorite dish and

demand something new. At this age children need at least one daytime nap.

Time after dinner is the best variant for it. But it’s not bad if

some other time is more convenient for both of you.

The time for the first whims has come at last. Your baby can be very

nice and obedient, but in a minute a sudden change comes, and he or she

plays up and protests. The best way to keep discipline is to be logical.

If you want your child to obey your bans and warnings, put aside the strongest

disciplinary methods for the behavior that is potentially dangerous.

A child will explore his or her own house with pleasure, but when in

a new place he or she wants you to be always near. He or she probably

will find some temporary object that will replace you. But don’t

think that his or her fear to be left alone is gone: it can come back

later when a baby becomes more independent and active. Soon you will celebrate

your baby’s first birthday. This date officially means that the

infant period is over. Helplessness and defenselessness are left behind,

and your child grows and becomes more mature and independent. Your unique

baby becomes the same unique little person.

Baby’s physical development this month

Your baby stands on his or her own and partly walks.

He or she can make some steps and walk in a go-cart.

He or she stands up from a sitting position, squatting.

Your baby knows how to use objects such as a telephone or a hammer.

You baby puts an object in the mouth or underarm to make his or her

hand free to take something else.

Baby’s social development this month

He or she shows his or her affection to parents, to those who take care

of him or her, and to favorite toys.

Your baby begins playing up.

He or she reacts negatively if his or her parents go away, especially

just one of them.

He or she may demand more help than necessary.

Your baby can deny new food or refuse to eat at all.

He or she begins to show a sense of humor.

Baby’s intellectual development this month

He or she understands almost everything that somebody tells him or her.

He or she can say one or two words besides “mum”.