Child Growth, Development & Parenting

You have the most important role in the life of your child. As a parent or caregiver, you are your child's first teacher. Positively interacting with your child during everyday activities helps to strengthen your relationship.

Your child's brain grows from pregnancy until early adulthood. The first five years of life have a major impact on a lifetime of brain development, growth, learning, health and behaviour. One of the most important ways for parents to support their child is by showing them love and responding to their needs.

Every day activities like playing, reading, learning, interacting, and getting attention from caregivers help children’s brains develop. You can support this growth in healthy ways.

Child behaviour

Your child's behaviour has a lot to do with their age and their stage of development. It is connected to what they can do, how they learn, and how they see and experience the world.

If you know what to expect from your child at various stages, you can learn to guide them in a positive way that supports their growth. As your child grows and starts to explore, make sure you provide safe spaces for them.

Behaviour and discipline

Young children use their behaviour to communicate. Positive discipline helps you build a strong, loving bond with your child.

Discipline means guiding and teaching, not just correcting behaviour. Being consistent and kind makes your child feel safe and understood. Positive discipline leads to better child development and fewer negative experiences.

Supporting your child’s growth and development

A general overview of what to expect in your child’s development from birth to preschool is available from Caring For Kids. You can also use The Looksee Checklist to track your child's development and Nutri-eSTEP to support your child’s healthy eating habits.

Is your child 18 months old?

When your child turns 18 months old, book an appointment with a health care provider to check your child's development and get their 18-month vaccinations.

Before you see your health care provider, you can complete an 18-month developmental checklist. Call Public Health at 519-575-4400 to have the checklist mailed to you or to complete it over the phone with a public health nurse.

Literacy and language

Babies start learning as soon as they're born. You can support their language development by reading, talking and singing to them every day. It is never too early to start this and doing so will help your child be more successful when they start school and later in life.

Talk with your child during the day about what you see and do
Sing songs and rhymes to help your baby learn about sounds and words
Encourage your child to draw and make letters and shapes
Take time to play with your child
Read with your child every day
Visit your local library and get your child a free library card

Concerned about your child’s development?

If you have questions or concerns about your child's development at any age, speak to your health care provider or call Public Health at 519-575-4400 to speak with a nurse. Don't wait and see if they will “catch up” to other children their age. The earlier your child receives support, the more likely they are to reach their full potential.

Parenting and substance use

Learn about the risks associated with substance use while parenting and how to discuss substance use issues with your child on our Parenting and substance use page.

Adolescence

Adolescence is a time of physical and social change. Social roles, relationships, experiences and expectations shift, and youth develop skills through experimentation with activities that may have a positive or negative health impact. Helping to develop positive behaviour patterns at this stage will prevent chronic health issues later in life.

During adolescence, youth:

Develop a sense of identity and competency
Make transitions from school to employment
Participate in their community
Prepare for personal relationships

Youth who are engaged in meaningful activities expand their outlook on life, develop new ideas and gain great experiences. These opportunities are not only beneficial to youth but also to their families and communities.

For information on youth health and related topics, visit: