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We have all heard of parents being told that according to statistics their child is either developing well or falling behind developmentally. Childhood statistics can scare parents because they want their child to be in the top percentile for development and if their children are not following a certain statistic then they begin to panic.
The dangers of childhood statistics are everywhere that they begin when their child is born, and continue until adulthood. Children are first exposed to the dangers of childhood statistics when they go to the pediatrician and are weighed and measured. The pediatrician will tell you which percentile your child is in for height and weight. Many parents get scared if their child is below the top 50th percentile in height and weight. However, genetic factors affect how tall or heavy a child might be. Parents often feel like a failure when leaving the pediatricians office because they feel like they have not done their job and that their child may not be healthy.
Children are constantly being tied to statistics. For example, every year states make children take standardized tests to see how they are doing in various subjects. These tests are then reviewed and statistics are released about how well children are generally doing the subjects that they were tested on. Parents do get copies of their child's standardized test results and scores are given in percentiles and rank how your child doing compared to other children. The main problem with standardized tests is that tests can not measure how really smart a child is. Children get scared after receiving their results because they feel like they are not as smart as their fellow classmates and that their parents wont be proud of them. Tests just ask children questions, but some children are gifted in different subjects such as sports, music, art, and creative arts that are not tested.
The dangers of childhood statistics are quite real. Childhood statistics are rampant in the news from childhood obesity, behavior, medical issues, developmental issues, and social issues etc. Parents must understand that statistics are just numbers and often may not be a true representation of the issue at hand.
These are ways to combat the dangers of childhood statistics:
* Do not panic, you will scare your child and make them think something is wrong with them.
* Every child is different and unique so every child can not be measured according to childhood statistics alone.
* Every child develops according to their own internal time table.
* If your child becomes developmentally behind, there are trained professionals that can help them get back on track.
* Make sure to show your child that you love them no matter what child statistics say.
If you are a parent just remember do not let the dangers of childhood statistics affect the way you treat your child. A good parent will love their child no matter what and handle any issues that arise with patience and love.
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Source by Candis Reade
