16 Unit 1 Children and Families in Today’s World
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
In a positive way, the principle suggests devel-
opment does not reverse overnight. A few mistakes
or stresses usually do not cause severe problems.
As an example, a one-day junk food binge does not
seriously harm a healthy person. The principle is
also positive in that setbacks in development can
be overcome with correct intervention and effort.
On the negative side, the principle can work
to a person’s disadvantage. It suggests that poor
growth and development are not easily reversed.
Consider a child with poor health due to a life-
long poor diet. It may take many months or years
of eating a carefully planned diet to restore the
child’s health. In some cases, the body may never
be able to overcome these obstacles. Consider, too,
a child who lags in intellectual development due
to the lack of quality experiences with adults and
with toys and books. Once extremely behind in
learning, it is diffi cult to overcome the learning
gap between where the child is and where he or
she should be.
Growth and Development
Happen in Sequenced Steps
For growth and development to be continu-
ous, change must build on what children have
already learned. For instance, writing comes
from making random marks. The steps in growth
and development follow one another in a set
order called sequenced steps. These sequenced
steps are called stages or milestones. Research-
ers have codified (arranged in an orderly way)
the milestones through many years of obser-
vations. The sequence should always lead to
greater complexity of behaviors, such as scoot-
ing to skipping, thinking in prelogical to logical
terms, and watching others play to interacting
in team sports.
How do milestones aid those who are work-
ing with children? Milestones give adults ideas
about teachable moments. A teachable moment is
an optimal time when a person can learn a new
task. Teachable moments occur when the body
and mind are physically ready, when caregiv-
ers encourage and support the child, and when
the child feels a strong desire to learn. If a child
has not reached the teachable moment, he or she
will feel stressed when trying to master a task or
skill. Waiting too long after the teachable moment
occurs may cause problems, too. For example, a
child who is ready to ride a bicycle is not given the
chance to learn. This child may then have trouble
learning the skill as an adult.
Growth and Development
Happen at Different Rates
Growth and development happen at differ-
ent rates for different people. All people change
with time. Some people enter a stage earlier and
some later than the typical age. Researchers know
the typical time when a developmental milestone
occurs. The timing is called an age norm and can
be expressed as an average age or age range. The
age norm simply predicts when development will
likely occur.
Developmental acceleration occurs when a
child performs like an older child. For exam-
ple, a 30-month-old child who speaks in long,
Figure 1.7 Children must practice many motor skills before
they take their fi rst steps. What are some of these motor
skills?