Your Six-Year-Old: Loving and Defiant

The six-year-old is a complex child, entirely  different from the five-year-old. Though many of the  changes are for the good -- Six is growing more  mature, more independent, more daring and  adventurous -- this is not necessarily an easy time for the  little girl or boy. Relationships with mothers are  troubled -- most of the time Six adores mother,  but whenever things go wrong, it's her fault. It  used to be, at Five, that she was the center of the  child's universe; now, the child is the center of  his own universe. Parents need the expert  advice of Drs. Ames and Ilg during this difficult  year, to explain parent-child relations,  friendships with peers, what six-year-olds excel at, how  they see the world, what it feels like to be  entering the first grade. Children need patience and  understanding to help make this transition easier. Read more