INTRODUCTION
Developmental tasks arise during a certain period of life. When a person does not have a successful developmental task at the right period, there will be inability to perform subsequent tasks treated to the next period. Developmental tasks are, therefore, important in ensuring that there are successful transitions between life stages and a person succeeds in developing without any hindrance within the stage. The successful completion of developmental tasks enables a person to make a smooth transition to adulthood. The three important developmental task that prepare a person for a smooth transition into adulthood include infancy, middle childhood and adolescent stage (Newman, & Newman, 2012).
ANALYSIS
Infancy
The stage occurs between children from birth to the age of 5 years. This is a stage characterized with a lot of learning activities for children. During the infancy, a child is able to develop in multiple stages. A child is able to learn on how to walk through coordination. In most cases, the task is accomplished with the help of an adult. The child learns to control body waste and also the child learns on how to talk. The stage also sees the development of a child in forms of relations with family members. All these developmental tasks of a child are important as when skipped, the child is likely to suffer from a drawback at some stage. Successful completion of the developmental stages tasks, a child can easily transform from early childhood or infancy to adulthood (Hatherley, 2014).
Middle childhood
After a successful completion of the early childhood developmental task, a person is able to move to the next stage of developing without any cases of hindrances. The middle childhood developmental task begins from the age of 6 years to the age of 12 years. During this developmental stage, a child is likely to experience a lot of growth that will show a successful passage of the stages. A child learns physical skills of playing games with other children. The child also develops a school related attitude in such a way that, any piece of reading that is easily accessed, the child finds it interesting and begins to look at it keenly. The stage also creates attainment of conscience in the child and also attainment of self-independent. The child becomes aware of what is wrong and right. All these developmental tasks are important in preparing the child for the next developmental task (Hatherley, 2014).
Adolescence
This stage occurs between the age of 13 years and the age of 17 years for school going children. The stage is characterized with the children establishing independent emotional attachment from the parents. At this stage, a child achieves a social role that is gender based and a definition of their life can be made from this role. Additionally, a child equips themselves with skills that are important for productive occupation. The stage is also characterized with establishing mature relationships with other peers of both sexes. The adolescent stage prepares people for the adulthood role through the various development tasks that a person undergoes while in that stage (Newman, & Newman, 2012).
CONCLUSION
The developmental tasks are very important in enhancing a smooth transition. A proper transition is necessary to ensure that a person does not have a hindrance in development in the future. Some children tend to be slow in development since they pass through some stages in life, which are the developmental tasks that are necessary for them while growing.
REFERENCES;
Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Hatherley, Paul. (2014). Developmental Tasks for Children, Adolescents & Adults: A Full Picture of Internal Development from Self-worth & Emotional Safety to Integrating Love, Truth, Beauty & Wisdom. Balboa Pr.
