Parenting School Age Children Fact Sheet

6 – 12 years of age
 
In the early years of school, children are learning to follow instructions, deal with authority figures and comply with the rules.
 
Their ability to succeed in these tasks will be largely influenced by how effectively they were parented in early childhood. 
 
Kids are beginning to understand the concept of time, have more logical reasoning and begin to use abstract thought, although that develops more fully later.
 
Erik Erikson believed that children this age compare their abilities to those of the same age, and seek validation of their abilities from adults to develop the virtue of competence.
 
This is a critical time in the development of self esteem, which is derived from doing a good job. It is very important that kids this age develop a sense of mastery and feel good about their abilities.
 
Parents and other adults can aid in this by offering positive reinforcement for a job well done, and using mistakes as teaching opportunities.
 
By telling kids what they did right, and instructing them on how to correct any mistakes, they have the opportunity to correct it and gain mastery of that skill.
 
Time-out as discipline is based on age, and consequences are logical.
 
Family meetings are good for kids this age, as they can learn life skills such as planning, decision-making, prioritizing and scheduling.
 
Relationships are usually limited to same-sex peers until the age of puberty. Achievement and mastery in school and group activities such as sports help develop skills and values.
 
Cognitively, children are developing quickly. They learn to read, begin to do math and solve more complex problems. Their vocabulary grows exponentially during this time.
(Pierce, L. (2013.). Development Part 2: The Preschool to Puberty Years. Theravive.)