Parenting is an ongoing experience that changes as your child gets older. Throughout the years, your child will grow and develop into the adult they will become.
Shaping that future is exhilarating but also challenging and, at times, frightening. After all, it is a major responsibility.
It’s also constantly evolving. Parenting a young child is very different from raising a teenager, so you’ll need to adapt as your children get older.
Every child is unique, and the future has different challenges and opportunities for every family, but there are some simple ways to make parenting less scary and more fun.
One great technique is to review the milestones in your child’s life and learn how you can adapt as their needs, moods, and bodies change.
Knowing the milestone birthdays for kids is a key way to understand what you need to know and how you can make the most of your parenting skills. Keep reading to find out more about the milestone birthdays children will enjoy and how you can support them as they transition into young adulthood.
One
At the age of one, most children won’t remember their party, but a child’s first birthday is an exciting time for their parents. As such, it can be fun to host a celebration for your little one. As they usually can’t speak, or if they can, they can’t form coherent sentences, you’ll have most of the say on what you do for their party, so you can plan a fun event that you and the other adult guests enjoy as much as the children.
Two
A second birthday is slightly more enjoyable for a child than a first, as they will be more aware of what’s going on and have a better understanding of what they enjoy. That means you can have fun creating an enjoyable event for your child. Consider ways to make it enjoyable for them by choosing sensory toys and foods that they prefer so that they can have a special day on their second birthday.
Five
Five years old is an important age for any child. Most children start kindergarten at around 4 or 5 years old, so they’ll be entering into an important stage of their lives. As your child is now at preschool, they’ll also have their own friends who are more than just kids their own age whose parents you like. They’ll actually have an opinion for possibly the first time in their lives, so you’ll be able to plan an exciting party that they’ll love. Consider choosing a theme around their favorite TV show, books or animals, to keep them engaged and make the party easier for you to plan.
Ten
Ten years marks a decade since you welcomed your child into the world, so it’s an exciting time for most parents. While kids might not be overly excited about turning ten, as not much changes for them, it is a fun time for you. Your child will also be close to going to middle school, which is an exciting time for their learning and personal development. They will face many changes over the coming years, so you need to be prepared to support them through this and steer them towards making the right choices for their futures.
Thirteen
A child’s thirteenth birthday is the day when they officially become a teenager. Dealing with teens can be tough, particularly if they turn into unmotivated teenagers, but there are simple ways to deal with them. Work to understand how to communicate with your teens as they get older and support them as they enter into the world of young adulthood.
Sixteen
Often called the sweet sixteen, a child’s sixteenth birthday is a significant milestone, as they have more access to transport and partial responsibility. While they’re not yet a legal adult, they have more opportunities than before. When your child reaches sixteen, you should try to help them mature by giving them some small responsibilities. It might be a significant chore, care for a pet, or a new possession they have to care for, to make them feel more mature and prepare them for eventual adulthood.
Eighteen
Eighteen is the year that your child officially becomes an adult, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t still need you. In most states, children can legally leave home at 18, but most wait until after college or later. The average age for people to move out of their parent’s homes is between 24 and 27 years old, and this is probably going to get later as rents rise and the economy continues to stagnate. So, you need to work out ways to support your older children as they become adults while still living in your home.
Raising children is an exciting experience for most parents, and as their birthdays go by, you will be able to watch them grow from babies into little people and, eventually, adults. These are the main milestone birthdays you’ll face when raising your kids and what you can expect.
