Between bursts of laughter and nerve crises, children are a concentrate of unpredictable energy. A British study has looked into the most ruthless age group.
They are cute, cuddling, curious … and formidably exhausting. Growing up, children gain autonomy, creativity, daring. A survey of 1,000 parents of children aged 3 to 11 then revealed when this playfulness reached its peak, transforming the daily life into a real obstacle course.
Professor Sam Wass, psychologist specializing in the development of young children, has shed light on this intense phase of development. He explains: “The increase in nonsense in children goes hand in hand with the fact that they become aware of the theory of the mind – according to which thoughts in their heads are not the same as ours.“What he describes is the birth of the ability to imagine what the other thinks. A fascinating playground for children … and exhausting for adults.”They experience the game of the deception. But even if it is a sign of healthy curiosity, we do not want the situation to degenerate “he specifies.
However, it is important to specify that in families with several children, the youngest is often seen as the most playful, is the study commissioned by the brand Petits Filous. The elder is designated in 11 % of cases, the child in the middle in 19 %, and 14 % of parents believe that their children are as naughty as each other. As for comparison with other families, 29 % of parents have the feeling that their children make more nonsense than those of others.
Nevertheless, with all this, remains a question: when do the children make it the most see their parents? The survey is formal: it was at 4 years that the tornado reached its peak. An age when creativity overflows, logic develops, but also where the concept of consequences is still unclear. In short, an explosive mixture … which also makes the best memories.
The study also questioned the report that parents had with these agitation moments. If a quarter of them admits being frequently frustrated, humor often prevails. What relieves is that these moments are also part of the normal development. And that other parents live exactly the same thing.
