Discussion – Child Development
Changes that result from childbirth
Childbirth is usually an exciting event. However, its potential to change the dynamics of the family is significant (Hatter, 2017). One of the most significant changes is an increment of responsibilities. The addition of a newborn baby brings about additional responsibilities to the family. The financial options that the family has increased require proper prioritization. The mother and the father to the child are forced to review their expenditure to accommodate the new expenses that come with a new family member. These include the purchase of baby formulae, diapers, clothes, toys, medical bills, and employing a caregiver. These new aspects need to be accommodated in the parents’ financial resources. As a result, the privileges that other family members, such as the siblings, may need reduction as well as the parents’ unnecessary expenditure.
The mother and father experience more responsibilities in terms of roles that each must undertake to ensure the baby’s comfort. For instance, the mother takes time off their economic activities to nurse the baby for a few months as they also regain their health. During this period, some mothers may have to care for the baby alone while others receive assistance from their partners. The main responsibilities of a mother include nursing the baby, exclusively or otherwise, changing diapers, soothing the baby when they throw tantrums, doing laundry, ensuring medical appointments are honored, and taking care of themselves (Sutherland, 2014). Mothers who do not receive assistance from family members or contracted caregivers are highly exposed to post-partum depression.
The situations in which fathers, siblings, extended family, and caregivers are involved are slightly different. The father may help with changing the child’s diapers at night. This gives the mother time to rest. In case the siblings are responsible enough, the mother can delegate responsibilities such as doing laundry and dishes. The caregivers and extended family members also help with the baby’s care to ensure that the mother can rest sufficiently and avoid the development of stress. This end is achieved as the mother interacts with her support system, which includes friends.
Furthermore, the extended family may also be involved in some of the responsibilities. The mothers’ needs increase as the time and energy to conduct these activities diminishes. The parents may seek help from the extended family members. This means that the members of the extended family occasionally participate in giving care to the newborn and/or the siblings. This results in a wider care network for the entire family (NCT, n.d). Such roles require the members of an extended family to reorganize their schedules to accommodate the newborn and/or siblings.
Time constraints affect the nature of the couples’ relationship. The newborn baby consumes significant amounts of time in attention. The mother and the father end up with less time for each other. This may affect their connection emotionally and intimately. In such cases, a caregiver or the help from extended family members is important to free up some of the time, which allows the couple to spend more time with each other.
The siblings are likely to suffer due to the attention that the newborn baby receives from the parents. The siblings may show aggression, regression, clinginess, and even ignore the newborn. The siblings’ refusal to acknowledge the newborn is lauded as normal by medical practitioners. They should not be forced to do so—aggression results from jealousy, sadness, anger, fear, and frustration. Regression is observed as the older child acts like a baby to seek attention. In such situations, both parents should strive to ensure the older baby avoids harmful behaviors that may harm others or themselves. They should also receive attention and love as they adjust to the new family member.
Children’s Development
Children go through different development stages. Each stage has different yet clear milestones that the child should achieve by a certain age. In this section, the perceptual, motor, and physical development of children aged between 0-3 years.
Perceptual Development
Perceptual development is the children’s ability to absorb, interpret, and understand certain sensory inputs. Using the senses, children can adapt to their environments. In most cases, children at birth can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. These senses are not usually fully developed in infants. A newborn can only view items that are 8 or 12 inches away. Between the ages of 0 to 9 months, children gain awareness of their environments (CDC, 2020). They respond to startling sounds and lights by turning their head towards it. They use their senses to explore various objects; they can also mimic the sounds they hear in their environments (Rojas, 2018).
Vision develops into color identification, and they also see objects at a farther distance. They sense touch and look to identify the individual. They develop a liking for specific objects, such as toys. From seven to eighteen months, the child can manipulate items such as play dough. They are conversant with familiar objects and are attracted to them. They are more aware of the obstacles around them. From 16 to 24 months, the children enjoy physical play and can recognize situations that demand caution. Between 21 and 36 months, they can imitate adults who are familiar, adjust their approach to objects that are unfamiliar, and act accordingly during play or while within an actual environment (Illinois Early Learning Project, 2021).
Motor/Physical Developments
The gross motor development of children requires movement of all body parts and requires large body muscles. Each of the stages has different milestones based on the assumption that the previous ones are fulfilled (CDC, 2020). Between birth and six months, the child rolls over and sits while supported before they do it independently. From 6 to 12 months, the baby crawls forward while on their belly, can sit without help, transitions from one position to the other, and pulls themselves to a standing position. While walking, they hold onto furniture, can also take about three steps independently, and can roll a ball to imitate an adult. At 18 months, the child can comfortably sit, walk, or crawl. Their running ability is less clumsy, and they can push a ball for movement instead of kicking it (Pathways, 2020).
At 2 years, the child walks smoothly, can turn corners, is beginning to run, can pull a toy while walking, can climb furniture without help, walks up a staircase and down as well, and can pick toys without falling over. At three years, the child can imitate others standing on a single foot, try to make bilateral movements, pedal tricycles, walk on tiptoes, climb ladders, and jump with two feet in place (Kid Sense Child Development Corporation Pty Ltd, 2021).
References
CDC. (2020). Toddlers (1-2 years of age). Retrieved from Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/toddlers.html
Hatter, K. (2017). How a Newborn Affects Family Dynamics.
Illinois Early Learning Project. (2021). Domain 2: Perceptual. Retrieved from https://illinoisearlylearning.org/ielg/perceptual/
Kid Sense Child Development Corporation Pty Ltd. (2021). Gross Motor Development Chart.
NCT. (n.d). Changes in your relationships after having a baby. Retrieved from https://www.nct.org.uk/life-parent/your-relationship-couple/relationship-changes/changes-your-relationships-after-having-baby
Pathways. (2020). Milestones. Retrieved from https://pathways.org/all-ages/milestones/
Rojas, Y. (2018). The Stages of Child Development.
Sutherland, A. (2014). How Babies Change (and Don’t Change) Families. Retrieved from Institute for Family Studies: https://ifstudies.org/blog/how-babies-change-and-dont-change-families/
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Question 
Child Development
Thoroughly clearly describe the changes in the family dynamics at the birth of a child as they affect each of the following: newborn, mother, father, siblings, and extended family of the new parent.
Thoroughly and clearly discuss details of development perceptual, motor, and physical development- in infants and in children ages one through three. 4 pages in length. Margins 1″, headings Bold, Times New Roman 12 point, 5 correct citations