During these years, you will see the gradual development of your child’s social skills and an increase in their ability to relate to others. Your child might have a greater interest in fitting in and being accepted by her peer group, some degree of peer group acceptance is essential for her self-esteem.
At this age, a lot of children want to play with children of the same sex and can sometimes stereotype members of the opposite sex. This is normal and offers you the opportunity to point out that both sexes are capable of doing lots of different things, not just ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ things.
Although children of six and seven share activities and enjoy each other’s company, it’s usually not until they’re eight that they begin to be capable of imagining what it’s like to be another person, and to form sustained friendships. Because of your child’s emphasis on sticking to ‘the rules’, his efforts to play with others can still go astray. Adult guidance and assistance can help keep play positive.
In the middle years, your child might:
- Have some understanding of rules (around age six) and might want to add some rules of her own (around age seven)
- Be starting to like team games (at around eight years)
- Start to understand another person’s view of things (usually around eight years)
- Be more careful with his own belongings (at about eight years)
- Be full of bravado and confidence or, conversely, full of doubts about herself – this varies for different ages and personality types
- Be beginning to show signs of responsibility
- Like to win at games, but might not be able to lose cheerfully
- Tell lies or steal, and might not yet have fully developed a proper understanding of right and wrong
- Like going to school, unless he has a problem there
- Have problems with friends – this is normal for most children from time to time
- Enjoy going to a sleepover at a friend’s house.
Each age in the ‘middle years’ tends to have its own special characteristics – for example, six can be a bit bossy and demanding, seven tends to worry and take life seriously, eight is enthusiastic and outgoing, and nine is independent and rather rebellious. These are, of course, big generalisations, but you’ll probably see an emphasis on these qualities in your child at these ages.
