Over the course of a lifetime, many individuals experience major changes or watershed moments that alter their lives forever.
In fact, there are seven different stages of life:
- childhood,
- adolescence,
- young adulthood,
- middle adulthood,
- late adulthood,
- elderhood,
- and post-retirement.
All of which are marked by specific milestones. It is in these moments when we often transition to new phases in life, during which there are certain events that mark significant changes for ourselves and our loved ones.
The following details the first two stages of a neurotypical life:
Childhood
Childhood is filled with many different milestones, including first steps, baby teeth coming in, and learning how to read. It’s also the stage when children learn about complex topics such as politics or religion from their parents, which is why parents must set a strong example for their kids. This means always telling the truth and using good manners whenever possible.
Another major milestone during the childhood stage is learning how to use the potty independently, even though this often starts in small steps with children first learning how to go on their own or waking up dry after sleeping. Of course, there are many other milestones that you’ll experience as a child, including starting school and your first friend.
It’s during this time when children should begin learning about healthy habits such as brushing their teeth and eating vegetables rather than sweets, which teaches them how to establish a routine for themselves early in life. This can help them later in life by giving them a strong sense of confidence and a desire to make decisions on their own instead of letting others do it for them.
One of the most important things that children experience during their first years of life is learning about and developing a sense of morality and values, especially those learned from religious institutions or traditions. This means trying to instill in your children core values such as honesty and compassion, which will benefit them later on, both emotionally and physically.
It’s also during this time when children start to make goals for themselves, which is a crucial development step in their lives. If they don’t, it can affect them later with regards to having a strong sense of direction and learning how to deal with others. In fact, the most important thing that parents should teach their kids is how they can best deal with conflict, which will stick with them for the rest of life.
With this being said, make sure to also teach your children how they can use their goals to help them become the best person possible, including setting out steps on how they can achieve their dreams no matter what obstacles stand in their way. Whether it’s graduating from college or learning how to bake a cake, children need help in developing a sense of self-efficacy so that they can believe in themselves and have faith that the future will bring great things for them.
Adolescence
Adolescence is often considered to be one of the most challenging stages in life, especially during the high school years when teens rebel against their parents and their bodies start changing in preparation for becoming an adult. During this time, adolescents tend to focus more on friends and less on family, which is fine in moderation but not to the extreme. This also means that it’s a crucial time when teens should receive moral support from loved ones, especially through times of strife, such as having problems at school or dealing with bullies.
The most important thing that parents can teach their children during the adolescence stage is how to deal with problems on their own, which means not solving all of their problems for them. This reinforces the idea that life has ups and downs, but you can always get through it, especially if you have a strong support system backing you up during difficult times.
One of the biggest milestones that adolescents experience is learning how to drive, which opens up a new realm of freedom for them but comes with many responsibilities as well. This means teenagers must begin learning about money management, including how to save some every month and spend it wisely on things they need instead of blowing it on frivolous purchases.
In addition, it’s during this time when teenagers should start learning about the responsibility of being a citizen, which starts with getting their first jobs and going through the difficult process of balancing work and school. This also includes understanding how to be a good employee or manager that contributes to society as a whole, which will have positive impacts on all future relationships.
Lastly, it’s during this time when teens should learn about the responsibility of being a consumer, which means understanding how to make wise purchases and not spend more than they can afford. Otherwise, teens will find themselves in unmanageable amounts of debt and unable to obtain items that genuinely interest them without going into too much credit card debt.
My attempt at navigating the life stages
It was difficult. Seeing that I was only diagnosed at 41, I pretty much had to figure it out as best as I could. Phew, it is truly not fair to expect Neurodivergent folk to follow the Neurotypical path, is it?
anonymous gods 
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