Grade school (5-12 years)
You’ve laid a strong foundation for your child to feel empowered, independent and ready to tackle many new life events. Officially starting school can represent independence for a child as they dive into navigating complex social interactions and gain new friends. Despite this new independence, this stage is not without its challenges. As a parent, you’ll navigate behavior issues, sibling rivalry, self-esteem and personal hygiene. Remember, behavior is still behavior, governed by the same basic principles you’ve been learning about since the baby stage. Basing your strategies and parenting plan on those basic principles will help you successfully manage even the most complicated of issues that pop up in grade school.