We have all been a child and adolescent, we have all been a member of a family in whatever way we define it, we have all lived and developed in a physical body and been influenced socially and emotionally by people and situations around us. These are the reasons I love this topic. The study of child development is something that everyone can relate to in one way of another. It is interesting to reflect on the information provided in terms of your own life…asking is this true of what I have experienced or not? If not, what are the variables that might have impacted this outcome?

I always tell students that I am less interested in the memorization of developmental milestones then I am in them understanding the basic principles that affect all areas and stages of development. Developmental principles are often a paragraph or sometimes part of a chapter in a child development text book. In this text, I have chosen to weave them through all of the developmental stages that will be explored. I hope you enjoy this different approach and walk away with a good understanding of child development, in your own life and how it is applied to others.