What a Child Should Know

3.5 Years:
“I know I’m loved.”

Pop quiz: what should a child know by the time she’s three and a half years old? The names of colors? Five-word sentences? Basic grammar? At least 3,000 words?

Well, sure. It can’t hurt to know those things. And most child development experts will tell you that they’re important—and, if your kid isn’t quite up to speed with what’s expected for his age, it’s not a bad idea to get some extra help. Developmental delays exist and, without being addressed, can cause a lot of problems for children.

Still, I think that when you boil it down, there’s only one thing that a three-and-a-half-year-old really needs to know. A three-and-a-half-year-old needs to know that she is loved deeply, completely, and unconditionally. Hearing my daughter say, “I know I’m loved,” without prompting, let me know that I had really succeeded as a parent. If a child knows she’s truly loved, very little else matters.