Human beings go through stages of development, but sometimes we misinterpret or ignore the significance of stages.
It is not something that passes like a cloud casting a momentary shadow and moving on.
It is a time to learn and establish a base or foundation for the next stage.
Any stage inadequately accomplished will impair the child's ability to succeed in future stages.
Infants enter the world with very few resources, but they have great potential.
Their genetic endowment predisposes them to certain facial and body characteristics, color of hair and eyes, and, perhaps, even personality, but their behavior and attitudes will be a result of development.
This is the place where parents have an opportunity to monitor and encourage habits and a world view that offers challenge and success.
This stage lasts from birth to about 1 ½ years.
Jean Piaget defines this as the Sensori-Motor Stage because the major development of all body movement and muscle control occurs during this time.
The child has learned to sit, stand, walk, talk, and control most body functions during this time.
He or she has yet to discover the skills required in good bathroom habits or fine motor development required in manipulating tools.
By the end of this period, the child knows that he or she is separate from the parent or caregiver and recognizes personal needs and ownership of possessions.
Erik Erickson labels the dichotomy in this stage as Basic Trust vs.
Basic Mistrust.
If the child is warm and well-fed, finds love and comfort, and his or her needs are met, he or she will be likely to develop Basic Trust in the world at large.
If the child lives in pain or abuse or experiences unfulfilled needs continuously, he or she will more likely develop Basic Mistrust of the world as a reflection of the world he or she has known.
The task for the infant from birth to 1 ½ is to develop hope, to meet the world anticipating good things, joy, and success.
The child who experiences starvation or abuse or lives in fear and dread is less likely to achieve a world view based on hope.
Children who experience some form of pain or injury may be insulated from detrimental effects by a loving parent of caregiver who helps him or her to overcome negative events.
The great risk is that, when there is no relief from the pain or terror, the child's whole world is engulfed in crushing defeat.
If the first foundation for future stages is based on Basic Mistrust and a severe lack of hope, the child is predisposed to a life of bitterness and hostility.
It is possible in later years with more intellectual ability for an individual to rework an earlier stage so that he or she may improve the foundation.
The child that is cured of a serious illness may learn not to fear medical personnel.
The abused child may learn not to hate all adults.
This is an adopted stance, not the natural one.
It can be successful, but the person continually reassesses his or her position to maintain the better view.
All children experience some negative incidents, but a single occurrence is not sufficient to destroy the child's ability to succeed in the task of acquiring hope as a world view.
James Fowler researches and writes on the subject of Faith Development.
He calls the stage at this point of life Undifferentiated Faith.
If the child can develop Basic Trust and achieve a world view of Hope, he or she has optimism about life and lives in a state of faith.
It is not something that passes like a cloud casting a momentary shadow and moving on.
It is a time to learn and establish a base or foundation for the next stage.
Any stage inadequately accomplished will impair the child's ability to succeed in future stages.
Infants enter the world with very few resources, but they have great potential.
Their genetic endowment predisposes them to certain facial and body characteristics, color of hair and eyes, and, perhaps, even personality, but their behavior and attitudes will be a result of development.
This is the place where parents have an opportunity to monitor and encourage habits and a world view that offers challenge and success.
This stage lasts from birth to about 1 ½ years.
Jean Piaget defines this as the Sensori-Motor Stage because the major development of all body movement and muscle control occurs during this time.
The child has learned to sit, stand, walk, talk, and control most body functions during this time.
He or she has yet to discover the skills required in good bathroom habits or fine motor development required in manipulating tools.
By the end of this period, the child knows that he or she is separate from the parent or caregiver and recognizes personal needs and ownership of possessions.
Erik Erickson labels the dichotomy in this stage as Basic Trust vs.
Basic Mistrust.
If the child is warm and well-fed, finds love and comfort, and his or her needs are met, he or she will be likely to develop Basic Trust in the world at large.
If the child lives in pain or abuse or experiences unfulfilled needs continuously, he or she will more likely develop Basic Mistrust of the world as a reflection of the world he or she has known.
The task for the infant from birth to 1 ½ is to develop hope, to meet the world anticipating good things, joy, and success.
The child who experiences starvation or abuse or lives in fear and dread is less likely to achieve a world view based on hope.
Children who experience some form of pain or injury may be insulated from detrimental effects by a loving parent of caregiver who helps him or her to overcome negative events.
The great risk is that, when there is no relief from the pain or terror, the child's whole world is engulfed in crushing defeat.
If the first foundation for future stages is based on Basic Mistrust and a severe lack of hope, the child is predisposed to a life of bitterness and hostility.
It is possible in later years with more intellectual ability for an individual to rework an earlier stage so that he or she may improve the foundation.
The child that is cured of a serious illness may learn not to fear medical personnel.
The abused child may learn not to hate all adults.
This is an adopted stance, not the natural one.
It can be successful, but the person continually reassesses his or her position to maintain the better view.
All children experience some negative incidents, but a single occurrence is not sufficient to destroy the child's ability to succeed in the task of acquiring hope as a world view.
James Fowler researches and writes on the subject of Faith Development.
He calls the stage at this point of life Undifferentiated Faith.
If the child can develop Basic Trust and achieve a world view of Hope, he or she has optimism about life and lives in a state of faith.