Life Stages and Development Basics
Your life can be split into six main stages, each with its own challenges and achievements. Infancy (0-2 years) is when basic survival skills develop, whilst early childhood (3-8 years) brings language and independence. You're currently in adolescence (9-18 years), followed by early adulthood , middle adulthood , and finally later adulthood .
Milestones are specific abilities that most children achieve by certain ages - like walking by 18 months or reading by age 6. Think of them as checkpoints that show healthy development is on track.
Growth refers to measurable physical changes like getting taller, gaining weight, or your head circumference increasing. It's quite uneven - your hands and feet often grow before the rest catches up! Meanwhile, development covers the complex changes in your skills, abilities, and knowledge that happen gradually over time.
Key Point: Development isn't just about getting bigger - it's about becoming more capable in multiple ways simultaneously.