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Trust vs. Mistrust
At four months old, my daughter Bliss, depended on me for everything. She was in the period that Erickson believed was the trust vs. mistrust stage. This essentially means that is an infant's needs are being met they will develop trust. On the contrary, if their basic needs are not fulfilled, they will have trust issues. -
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Around 18 months, Bliss started really exploring the world around her. She started wanting to do things herself. She had reached the autonomy vs. shame and doubt stage. In this stage, toddlers begin grasping for a sense of self-reliance and want to try things on their own. It is a difficult stage for parents, as they need the wisdom (and patience) to let the child explore the world around them, but also teach the child boundaries on circumstances that could potentially hurt the child. -
Initiative vs. Guilt
At age four, Bliss was well into playing imaginative games. This is on par with the initiative vs. guilt stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Children are constantly trying new things during this period. Success often instills purpose, whereas failure leads to feelings of negativity, such as guilt. -
Industry vs. Inferiority
My daughter is nearing her eighth birthday and is just as wonderful as she can be. She is taking on new tasks and is excelling in school, but also expresses feelings of inferiority when she can not complete a task successfully. Erikson called this stage industry (or competence) vs. inferiority. Both feelings are normal when going through this stage, however, it is important for children to receive encouragement and support when they are tackling a difficult task so that confidence is built.
