Child Development
The early yearsCHILD DEVELOPMENT IN BRIEF
The first emotional and psychological developments occur through the interaction between parent and baby. This article provides a brief insight into how an infant develops emotionally, and the importance of the primary care giver’s role in this process.
The Importance of Emotional Development
The parent(s) are the first window of opportunity for a child. This is not necessarily about financial stability or social status, but the emotional and mental stability and the external support the primary care giver(s) has. Before school and play groups, a child’s template of relating, learning, and developing is based on the primary care giver(s). The very first experiences and understandings of life are internalised from the primary caregiver(s) as the infant uses their carers’ mental capabilities as theirs develops.
The baby:
- experiences their parents’ moods as if they were their own;
- learns how to communicate to others, including themselves;
- takes in how the parent(s) relates to other people, siblings, partner, family
members, and strangers.
Outside Influences
As the child grows in their ability to hold, manage, and process their experiences, their environment outside their primary attachment(s) and close family members becomes more influential. New experiences (school, moving house, holidays, activities) and relationships (teachers, peers, siblings) will challenge and at times be in conflict with one’s original template of understanding and relating.
Child’s Unique Internal Constitution
There is another very important variable in a child’s development which is present from the very beginning and that is their unique constitution. How a child internalises their experiences will make a direct impact on how they grow and who they grow into, despite their external experiences.
Society & Culture
The society and culture with which a child grows up in and/or is surrounded by, also influences a child’s development. The values and laws which the society upholds and the cultural customs and beliefs which the child is exposed to, determines, and colours the experiences to which the child is subjected to.
Support
If you are looking for help in understanding your child’s development and your relationship with your child or perhaps you wish to understand your own past experiences, childhood and up bringing to support you in your role as a parent, get in touch to discuss how Life Studio could support you.

Meet Sophie Barrett MSc, BA (Hons), Dip, CertHE
I am a qualified Counselling Psychotherapist, accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). As an accredited member I am recognise as having achieved a high standard of knowledge, experience and development in counselling and psychotherapy through my accredited MSc qualification as well as a through a separate rigorous application and assessment process within the BACP. As a BACP accredited member I receive supervision when in practice and am bound by the BACP Ethical Framework.
I am a qualified Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) registered Pilates andPre and Postnatal Pilates instructor and a Level 4 Sports Massage Therapist with membership of the Association of Soft Tissue Therapists. REPS is an independent public register which recognises the qualifications and expertise of health-enhancing exercise instructors in the UK which provides a system of regulation for instructors and trainers to ensure that they meet the National Occupational Standards. All professionals on the Register are appropriately qualified and have the knowledge, competence and skills to perform their role effectively.