Child development takes a definite and predictable path whose aspects are common to all children (Springer, 2006). However, the pace of development varies from child to child. Each child develops at its own pace. This implies that all children acquire certain skills at certain ages in their growth and development path.
In psychology, these skills are known as developmental milestones. Child development is often divided into five main areas. These include communication, cognitive, physical, emotional, and adaptive or self-help (Springer, 2006).
Self-help skills refer to skills that a child needs in order to be independent and not rely on the mother entirely. These skills include dressing, eating, washing, personal responsibility, and toileting. At the age of 4, a child develops certain self-help skills that foster independence and heralds the phase of self-responsibility.
Self-help skills that a child at age 4 is capable of performing include dressing and undressing, eating, washing, toileting, and personal responsibility tasks such as wiping nose (Springer, 2006). A four-year-old child is capable of doing several things. The child can dress and undress completely without any assistance. The child can put on socks, sweater, pants, or socks independently (Ruben et al, 2003).
The child is also able to manipulate buttons and snaps found on clothes if they are not complex. The child is able to eat an entire meal without any assistance. This means that the child is able to use a fork or spoon the right way. The only difficulty the child experiences during eating is pouring a liquid such as water into a glass. The child can only do that with some assistance from the mother.
Washing is one of the activities that take many children a long of time to learn and do independently. A four-year-old child can only do simple washing tasks such as washing hands without assistance (Ruben et al, 2003). The child is unable to do complex tasks such as taking a shower independently. Another skill that takes a long time to develop in many children is toileting.
However, a four year old is able to take care of all toilet needs. Most children take care of their toileting needs during the day but ask for assistance during the night (Ruben et al, 2003). Most four-year-old children can perform self-help tasks that foster personal responsibility. For example, the child can wipe his or her nose without any help.
However, the child needs constant reminder of how to do it because children forget some things quickly. The child can also run quite fast. This is helpful in case the child is in a dangerous situation (Ruben et al, 2003). In addition, the child has the ability to jump over small objects.
Child development takes a unique path in every child. However, t follows the same path and stages. At certain ages, children possess certain skills that are referred to as developmental milestones. The pace of acquisition of these skills is different in all children some children acquire the skills faster than others do.
Self help skill that a four-year-old child is capable of performing include dressing and undressing, eating, washing, toileting, and personal responsibility tasks such as wiping nose. At this age, the child enters the phase of personal responsibility because most activities are done without assistance from anyone. At age four, a child has learnt so much as to be able to complete many tasks independently.
Works Cited
Ruben, K., Fein, G., & Vandenberg, B. (2003). Childhood Developmental Milestones. Research in Childhood development, 12(4), 34-46.
Springer, Ken. (2006). Normal Development, Surveillance, and Evaluation. Child Development, 63(4), 50- 59.