Is aged six a game changer?

[Elliot1988]

Hello!

I have a query with regards to my little boy. He turned six and has all of a sudden lost his two front teeth, shot up in height and width, has started to really show complex emotions and seems all together very grown up!

I know this is supposed to happen but I feel like it has come out of nowhere and I wasn't expecting his behaviour and ways to mature so suddenly! Is there a change from aged six in general (or around this age) where children change? It really is over night! To the point where I am thinking to myself that I need to assess and review how I respond to him because he seems that more emotionally competent. I'm thinking, 'wow, how do I parent this?'
He really has grown up that much.

So is age six a game changer?

I found 6 a devil age, to be honest. End of babyhood for sure.

I'm in no way a child development expert, but I remember way back I did a course and a child's sixth birthday marked the end of early childhood (it was split infants/toddlers/young children).

Anecdotally, yes, six is the age where everything really comes together in my experience.

If you look at year 2 children compared to year 1 and reception, you'll see a huge difference. The year 1s and receptions tend to still.be all cute and little, still with baby chub on their faces, whereas the year 2s are tall and gangly with missing teeth and more mature faces. There's definitely a huge physical leap between 6-8.

Also, when I was a teacher, I liked teaching year 1 and year 3, but hated teaching year 2. They can be difficult and moody and I think it's because they're walking the line between being a little child and a medium one.