My Erikson Development Timeline by

Age | Stage | Reasoning
Birth to 18 months | I spoke with my dad about how I was as a young baby growing into a toddler, and he told me that I struggled to stay on a consistent routine at bedtime. I would fight my sleep almost every night. My dad told me that he came up with a special bedtime routine for me and every single night he would interact with me while I ate my dinner, he would then bathe me and then before putting me down for bed he would read me a book and sing me a song. He did this routine every night and I eventually was going to sleep at the same time without a fight. | The reasoning for this was my dad needing to establish a stable bond and relationship with me as an infant and by doing so he was able to soothe and comfort me. This is “Trust Vs. Mistrust”
2 to 3 years | My daughter wants to do things on her own, so I let her choose her clothes and food choices! She can pick out her own clothes as well as tell me what she is wanting to eat and help to prepare the food. Letting her have the ability to choose what she wants based on her own desires helps her development and gives her a sense of accomplishment. I give her positive and some corrective feedback, when it is needed while preparing food. She trusts that I know what is best for her and takes what I say seriously. | By letting my daughter be in control she is able to use her own sense of style and ideas to pick her own ideas out. This helps her brain development and helps keep her happy as well. This is “Autonomy Vs. Shame”
3 to 5 years | My son is 5 years old, and I try to let him be in charge while planning activities. For example, he wanted to ride his bike without training wheels without practicing with an adult first. I first explained the risks and to help guide him into another option, but he was very adamant that he was right and could ride his bike alone. I let him have his way while still keeping him safe by following close behind. He learned very quickly that he was not able to ride without his training wheels and became very embarrassed and upset with himself. I explained to him that it is okay to be confident in yourself and your ideas, but sometimes you just have to think twice and practice beforehand. | By letting my son have his way and try out what he believed in it helped him learn that he is capable of achieving his goals, but sometimes may need guidance and help to do so. He was more than willing to take the extra time to learn and practice and is now more careful and patient when it comes to learning and completing new tasks. This is “Initiative Vs. Guilt”
6 to 11 years | After speaking with my father, he told me I was very nervous to transition from elementary school to middle school. I was a very shy child and had a close group of friends. I knew that we would be around many more students and was nervous about the change of scenery. He encouraged me to join a club or to try out for one of the sports teams. Once school started, I met new people by joining the cheerleading team! I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried something new and by doing so I met some of my lifelong friends that I still have to this day. I ended up making the spot of cheer captain for my team and my shy personality soon shifted into a very confident and outgoing personality. | My dad encouraging me to try something new had more positive results than I could have imagined at the young age of 10. I made lifelong friends and by listening to my dad it helped shape me into the person I am today. This is “Industry Vs. Inferiority”
12 to 18 years | I spoke with my dad about how I was during my teen years and the different phases I went through to eventually find "who I was." He told me that my friend group often changed depending on the new lifestyle I was pursuing or the attitude that came with that portion of my life. I often questioned what I enjoyed and what I envisioned myself doing as I got older and was nearing my adulthood years. I did not know exactly where I fit in. Once I got my first job, I lost friends and made new ones, which also helped me figure out the direction I wanted to take. I started to learn things about myself that I did not know before! I learned the things I liked and disliked. I was enjoying the simpler things and eventually learned who I wanted to be and who I actually am were developing the same as I was. | Teenage years are hard for most trying to learn who you truly are, who you are meant to be and where you belong. Getting my first job really helped guide me towards where I am in life right now. It taught me things about myself that I did not know before exploring different parts of the world. This is “Identity Vs. Confusion”
18 to 40 years | For this stage I spoke to my dad about his personal experience dealing with divorce. He married very young and was not emotionally mature enough to maintain a healthy and stable marriage. He did not understand where things were going wrong or how to properly fix them. He was still trying to figure out who he was, what his career path was and battling everyday struggles you face when you are starting adulthood. The marriage ended up in a divorce and he felt very poorly of himself to be in his early twenties and already divorced. My dad gave himself time to heal from the divorce and made himself more structured and stabled before deciding to get into another relationship. | This stage of life is very crucial to forming and maintaining relationships. You must be in a good place with yourself to be in a good place with others. My dad struggled to learn that and went through trial and errors until he was able to finally be in a good place with himself, which made his relationships with others stronger and healthier. This is “Intimacy Vs. Isolation”
40 to 65 years | For this example, I can use my father. As my sister and I got older, had children and started lives for ourselves he always worried about how he could make life easier for us and a way to make sure we were always taken care of, even when he was gone. My dad spent years of his life putting away money to save to buy property in Florida to leave in my sister's and I's name to have when he was no longer with us. He knew this specific property would hold its value and even would go up over the years, especially with love and care put into it. He wants to make sure this property is passed down from one generation to the next, so we always have something to rely on. | My dad did not want to leave this world leaving his children behind with nothing, so he made it a goal for himself to be able to leave something that would hold its value and even increase as the years passed so that we would always have something to rely on. This is “Generativity Vs. Stagnation”
65 years to death | For this stage I talked to my grandmother. My grandmother fell very ill from her Lupus and was in the ICU for a little over two weeks, then went into an assisted living home for a month afterwards. I talked to her about her experience and asked her how she felt during the entire time. She told me that she knew if her time was nearing that she was surrounded by her family that loved her very much and that was all she could ever want at the end of the day! She was happy, peaceful and nothing could make her feel better than knowing that she was a part of my life growing up, met my children and was loved by all and many. | My grandmother was nearing the end of her life and was at peace with her past self and the decisions she made all throughout. She did not have any regrets or remorse, just a lot of advice and happy memories. She was full of love. This is “Integrity Vs Despair”