There is something about your child turning 5. Something that instills fear and a feeling of “how the hell did this happen?!?!” I see it often from friends on Facebook, people panicking about their little baby turning 5 (and I too panicked when Honeybun hit “The Big five!”). I don’t know exactly what it is about the age of 5 whether it’s impending kindergarten, being half a decade old or who knows what.
But here I sit, staring 6 in the face and wonder why we aren’t more scared of 6! So much happens at the age of 6 as far as growth and development, why do we focus on 5?
Today Honeybun becomes a two-hander meaning she now has to use two hands to show her age. I’ve never seen a child show their age using two hands which mean something magical happens by the age of 6 where a child goes from showing their age with their fingers to having the confidence to tell their age out loud. (Obviously many 5 and even 4 year olds do this as well, but I would guess that all typical children are doing this by age 6!)
Six is the start of what is considered “middle childhood” which covers ages 6 to 8. This is a time of great development as children become more self-sufficient and start developing their own personality, preferences and independence.
Many six year olds are also growing and changing often having a large growth spurt causing them to go through a clumsy phase as they begin the journey from a “child” body into a pre-teen and eventually adult body.
There’s also the teeth. Not only do we all have a set of “six-year old molars” but most children also lose their first tooth sometime between 6 and 7 years old.
Six also marks the age when “formal” schooling often begins. While kindergarten was once optional, it is now considered crucially important for long-term school success and most children have undertaken some form of full-time schooling by 6 (whether it’s public school, private school or homeschooling). And though many children these days have been in school for many years before they turn 6, all children seem to be in a program by 6.
All these upcoming changes and being on the brink of “middle childhood” certainly is daunting but, HERE WE GO!
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- Birthday
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- 1
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- 2
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- 3
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- 4
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- 5
It’s sad, but it’s going to be okay! Hang in there! I balled like a baby when I drove away the first day of Kindergarten.
I cried walking home from Kindergarten, too. All these milestones are just giant in-your-face reminders that they’re not our babies any more!
Wow – Happy Birthday Honeybun! And I totally agree, it’s a big deal to be a two-hander. When Greenleigh turned 5 this year, I was a bit overwhelmed by it. It’s just so different than infancy and toddlerhood. I’m not ready for six though. Good thing I have 9-10 months of 5 left. :)
Sometimes I just want to hit pause and keep them where they are a little bit longer. I know it’s cliche, but it really does go by incredibly too fast!