BASIC milestones- self evaluation

Three Months:

• Lifts and turns head from side to side when lying on stomach
• Grasps rattle when placed in hand
• Smiles when smiled at
• Follows moving object or person with eyes
• Turns head toward bright colors and lights and toward the sound of a human voice
• Makes cooing and gurgling sounds
• Reacts to peek-a-boo games

Six Months:

• Holds head steady when sitting (with some help)
• Reaches for and grasps objects
• Helps hold bottle during feeding
• Explores by mouthing and banging objects
• Pulls up to sitting position if hands are grasped
• Opens mouth for spoon
• Babbles and makes sing-song sounds
• Knows familiar faces

Twelve Months:

• Drinks from cup with help
• Grasps small objects with thumb and forefinger
• Puts small blocks in and out of a container
• Sits unsupported
• Crawls on hands and knees
• Pulls self up to stand
• Takes steps while holding on to furniture
• Stands alone momentarily
• Walks with one hand held
• Moves body to music
• Begins to use objects, like a comb, correctly
• Babbles, but with inflection, which sounds like talking
• Says first word
• Responds to another’s distress by showing distress/crying
• Understands simple commands

Eighteen Months:

• Turns pages in a book
• Stacks two blocks
• Walks without help
• Scribbles with crayons
• Identifies object in a picture book
• Begins to sort by shapes and colors
• Follows simple, one-step directions
• Says 8-10 words others can understand
• Repeats words heard in conversation
• Looks at person speaking to him or her
• Uses “hi,” “bye,” and “please” when reminded
• Asks for something by pointing or using one word
• Acts out familiar activity in play (i.e. pretending to eat)
• Recognizes self in mirror or pictures

Two Years:

• Drinks from a straw
• Feeds self with spoon
• Builds tower with 3-4 blocks
• Opens cabinets, drawers, boxes
• Walks upstairs with help
• Likes to take things apart
• Explores surroundings
• Begins to make believe play
• Can and will follow directions
• Enjoys looking at the same books over and over
• Has vocabulary of several hundred words
• Uses 2-3 word sentences
• Comforts a distressed friend of parent
• Refers to self by name and uses “me” and “mine”
• Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked

Three Years:

• Builds tower of 4-5 blocks
• Walks up steps, alternating feet
• Turns pages in a book one at a time
• Pays attention for about three minutes
• Remembers what happened yesterday
• Knows some numbers, but not always in the right order
• Looks through a book alone
• Likes to be read to
• Counts 2-3 objects
• Follows simple one-step commands
• Uses 3-5 word sentences
• Asks short questions
• Names at least one color correctly
• Knows first and last name
• Recognizes & understands most common objects & pictures

Four Years Old:

• Starts copying letters
• Tries to write name
• Builds tower of 7-9 blocks
• Puts together simple 4-12 piece puzzle
• Walks downstairs using handrail and alternating feet
• Knows some basic colors
• Sorts by shape and color
• Counts up to 5 objects
• Follows three instructions given all at once
• Has large vocabulary
• Wants to know “why” and “how”
• Knows own age and name of hometown
• Asks direct questions
• Speaks well enough for strangers to understand
• Has large vocabulary
• Uses sentences of 5 or more words

Five Years Old:

• Uses knife and fork well
• Walks downstairs without a handrail, alternating feet
• Balances on one foot for five seconds
• Prints some letters
• Copies shapes and patterns
• Knows most basic colors
• Wants to know what words mean
• Recites own address and phone number
• Copies own name
• Identifies some letters of the alphabet
• Counts up to 10 objects
• Interested in cause and effect
• Uses 6 words in a sentence
• Uses “and,” “but,” and “then” to make longer sentences
• Invents make believe games with simple rules

http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/p/milestones.htm

My tips for mums, do not push your children to meet the common standards, most children run in their own pace. This could be a warning to alert you about your lil one's progress BUT do not compare he to others, COMPARE he to himself before. Enjoy the trip and invest your time to play with the one you consider precious :D

TV on KIDS- bad effects

Most kids plug into the world of television long before they enter school. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF):

• two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen an average of 2 hours a day
• kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs
• kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development.

As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family.

Of course, television, in moderation, can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it — TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.

But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental:

• Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight.
• Kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.
• TV characters often depict risky behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html

My tips for mums, invest your time for your most precious. It does happen to my friend and she needs therapist! sit down and play with your lil one if you hire a babysitter, PLEASE watch your babysitter to see her daily schedule with your kids