The Six Year Old Change

What is the six year old change?

Steiner believed human development takes place in three seven year cycles. The six year old change marks the end of this first seven year cycle. An important and exciting time for your child, this transformation can happen anywhere from five and three quarters to seven years old and is brought to fruition in your changing child. They are changing physically (teeth, height, coordination). They are changing socially and mentally. They begin to separate from their parents. Their way of thinking and feeling is beginning to shift. This change can often come with new emotional growth for the child as they face their new body and mind. This emotional growth can be challenging not only for the child, but also for the parent. To better meet your child with understanding and support for this process, here are two great articles that explore the changes and challenges your child is experiencing. Consider the support you desire when things get hard, when you are a bit overwhelmed, or when you are facing change in the face, and try to extend that to your child.

Know that while you are present for this struggle, you do not have to take it personally, and you are not alone.

Below are two articles that explore in depth this exciting time for your child.

Observing the Six-Year Change By Ruth Ker

By understanding what the child is undergoing during this time, it is much easier to respond with the inner attitude of "I see you are going through transformations. I love you and these new changes and I will help you to find your way." Of course, this would never be spoken to the children directly. However, if we as caregivers can be prepared inwardly to see and meet the behaviors that characterize this transformation, then the children and parents are more at ease in our presence. Then the children have a safe place to test out their new  found need to push for a boundary, we are braced to meet them and the parents can have trust that we truly understand their children.

➞ Read more here.

Six - An Important Year by Anniken Mitchell 

The human being goes through one of life’s big transformational processes during his seventh year. It is well known that, from a physiological standpoint, it takes seven years to renew all the cells in the body. That means that the seven­ year-old you have in front of you is not the same child from a physical perspective that was carried under his mother’s heart.

➞ Read more here.