During the first five years, a child develops from a helpless infant into an individual who has mastered a wide range of skills. The Wonder Years looks at this process of development, the ideal patterns of growth, how manipulative, movement, social, and mental skills are required, how the personality is formed, and when bowel and bladder control is acquired. Parents need to be aware of whether their children are acquiring the skills they need to develop their full potentials - and at the optimum time. Moreover, they can provide the ideal conditions for abilities to flourish. The Wonder Years highlights normal variances, and suggests specific observations to make. It also shows, through a variety of fun-filled activities, how easy it is to promote development and to create an environment in which a child can flourish physically, mentally, and emotionally. Finally, it enables parents to understand how certain factors affect development.