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5 Things Done Right by a Co-parent Before their Child Turns 5 

Positive Co-parenting is important for the overall growth and behavioural improvement of a child. Better co-parenting can lead to a higher sense of self and improve a child’s social and emotional adjustment.  

On the other hand,  negative co-parenting leads to different social and emotional adjustments.  If you’re co-parents taking counseling for couples (Cassandra’s counselling services is a good option to try) you must find a middle ground so that your child’s development doesn’t get affected.  

The following are the five things a child must develop at the age of 5, and you must ensure that their development results in their overall well-being and emotional and mental stability.  

Basic Manners & Respect 

At the age of 5 your child is ready for enough social attention. They are ready to start interacting with their neighborhood elders, siblings, and friends.  

They must learn the value and importance of basic manners and respect toward others. It’s the first skill they’ll use to grow in life to foster respect, sympathy and love.  

Manners are the foundation of good behavior, and they’re essential for navigating through social challenges and difficult situations in life. In fact, their behavioural skills can help them navigate different social situations with ease.  

Communication Skills  

Communication doesn’t mean verbal communication alone. Your child should be able to express fear, love, anger, sadness and other emotions at this stage. 

At the age of five, your child should have a strong command over their mother tongue. They should be able to speak properly without making any punctuation errors. Whether it’s a simple sentence or a complex one, your child should be able to speak the language. This is the age for your child to be able to strike up a conversation or take part in a group talk.  

Social and Emotional Skills 

At the age of five, children are capable of doing many things. They can make friends and put up efforts to please others. If someone tells them make-believe things,  they can tell how it differs from reality.  

This is the age when they learn to show sympathy for others. They also like participating in different activities like singing, dancing, and sports. At this age, your child is independent enough to visit the next door and go to a neighbor’s house.  

They become more social and can easily participate in different activities involving other children.  

Cognitive Skills 

Children start to ask analytical questions at the age of 5. They can also imagine different ideas, find ways to solve problems, and make something of their own.  

Cognitive skills are a must-learn at this age, including learning how food, money and similar things work. At the age of five, children can count ten or more things at once.  

Your child is more equipped to handle general mathematics like subtraction and addition. The cognitive skills children build at this age also help them understand and differentiate between different shapes. A five-year-old is also capable of positioning things using prepositions like “und,”, “,” and “behind.”   

Children nowadays can also understand how mobile phones work by dialing numbers or searching for things on YouTube. However, even if they can use mobile phones, parents should always limit their children from using them.  

Basic Hygiene Habits 

Learning about basic hygiene is as essential as acquiring any other skill. Children at the age of five should learn the concept of basic hygiene, such as cleaning themselves and washing hands before and after eating.  

They must build the habit of bathing and brushing their teeth twice daily. When they cough or sneeze, they must learn to cover their mouth and nose with a napkin or sleeve. Wearing clean clothes and caring for their hair and nails are also part of their regular hygiene maintenance work.  

Conclusion 

Parents and caregivers must come to terms with these behaviors and skills a child must learn before they are 5. Children with co-parents often have a hard time going through their learning phases. Negative co-parenting can undermine a child’s emotional wellbeing and affect their behavioural issues.  

Essentially, it’s important for co-parents to understand and implement the things that matter to their child’s overall development. The five skills and behaviours discussed here are important to the overall well-being of a child. Take note of them and guide your child toward a better life.