It's so hard to believe this is the last blog I will write for this class! I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed class, and I have learned so much in a short time. I find it fascinating to see how life span development is connected with so many aspects of everyday life as shown in Life Smart chapter 13; as a parent, spouse, in lifespan development careers, coping with death, grieving, better understanding a loved and self. I find this course very helpful to understand how my children are developing, better understand my husband and myself in middle adulthood, as well as having the ability to better help my patients by offering resources to help cope with difficulties experienced during various stages of their development.
I learned about different theories that explained development, intelligence, and cognition amongst others. These "theories are essential for constructing meaning out of facts" (Fiore p. 300). Theories help us better understand what people at different ages and phases of development experience daily; having a clear understanding of what is considered normal and abnormal at any life stage can prove to be valuable for coping, and useful to get help or the needed resources sooner rather than later. I will be able to "validate what [I] observe daily and what is important to [me] in [my] current life [and] work" (Fiore p. 300). It is exciting to know that "careers that utilize the knowledge of lifespan development will continue to expand and evolve in the future" (Fiore p. 300). All jobs that employ people and serve people should be trained in the knowledge of lifespan development. In Western culture, it is often thought that if a person does not have the same opinion (religion, culture, and worldview) as the majority, they are a threat, or considered an outsider for not thinking or acting in a particular manner. This knowledge can possibly help to prevent abuse, and other criminal activity; education of lifespan development can be helpful to others by helping them to recognize that each individual has and can develop normally despite doing so in ways different from what they have experienced or may be used to. Those jobs that provide customer service (deal with the public) can use this knowledge to help them understand how to better serve people; understanding how environment, economic, and social status will play roles in the development of the community and the people that use their services or products. It is also my hope that schools enforce yearly, mandatory student check-ups as opposed to only those few years that vital immunizations are needed. At annual doctor's appointments, both children and caregivers are or can be educated about the expectations of their child at each stage of development in hopes to maintain homeostasis or catch any abnormalities to be managed properly before causing harm to themselves or others.
In conclusion, I am now aware of how lifespan development can be used in everyday life. Whether a person is a parent, have a career in lifespan development, curious about how an individual or oneself is developing, grieving, or coping with death, lifespan development is always being used. It is best that education of lifespan development is known to help expose others to different ways of life, cultures, and the resources available to cope with difficulties experienced in the different phases. People need love, acceptance, and guidance at every stage, and without this knowledge those basic needs can go unfulfilled for many people.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Week Seven-Card-Life Span Development Chapter 12
There is a wide variety of literature that informs its readers of how people can be different; people can look, cook, dress, think, eat, talk, and walk different from others, despite small similarities. However, there is one thing that all people have in common, death. Just as people are born, they will surely die. Different lifestyles and choices in Western culture can either increase or decrease the percentage of the chance of death earlier, at, or later than "the average life expectancy [that] has been reported at an all-time high of nearly 78 years" (Fiore p. 280). In Life Smart chapter 12, it informs readers of some perspectives on death, its role in life, lists four types of death, give the legal definition of death, and describes the aspects of how people experience grief while coping with death. In history, death was unmentionable; no one liked to talk about it, and often associated it with evil. "Fortunately, in recent decades, this has begun to change, and death has become a more approachable subject of both research and public discourse, including media attention" (Fiore p. 280).
When I started my nursing career, I remember how I dreaded death. Because I learned from not-so-reliable sources (television) that death was evil and it created a negative and spooky feeling. Having help from coworkers that assisted me while caring for dead or dying patients was very helpful, because the other myth was how the dead came back to take you with them or to just scare you by taking a violent last breath; I figured with help, at least one of us would have an opportunity to run away or help the other, definitely a scene right out of a cheesy horror movie for sure! After working medical surgery in a community hospital, I was quickly acclimated to death and realized how inaccurate the movies had been. I had witnessed people suffer, their quality of life had been reduced to lying in a bed unable to walk, move, or eat, all while in pain. In these instances, death seemed to be the logical remedy. When the patients would die, there was a sense of peace instead of horror, and it only looked like they were asleep as opposed to resembling a zombie. I found the horror to be in their suffering; it was quite scary to see someone walking and talking one day, and screaming in pain the next. I also spent some time working for a hospice agency, that job afforded me the opportunities to comfort patients and their families during their transition. I was able to witness first hand how the depiction of death had changed; people had started to accept death by opting to be comforted and transition peacefully after tremendous suffering and or a terminal diagnosis. I have never experienced a personal or professional traumatic death; the patients and close family members that have died, did so as a result of long suffering, or old age. I wish to never experience a sudden or traumatic death because the circumstances are the scariest things I could ever imagine. I remember hearing the codes over the intercom in the hospital when traumas would arrive, I was secretly relieved that I didn't deal with witnessing the gunshot, car accident, or murder victims, but I also awkwardly wondered how I would handle such a situation in my career, would I faint?
Everyone deals with death differently, there is no specific way that one must cope with death or grieve, however, there are "some cases...morbid grief reactions [that] occur that prevent the successful conclusion of [the] life crisis [death]" (Fiore p. 285). There are extreme ways that some people grieve that warrant professional help and resources are available in many forms; professional help with severe grief can come in the form of grief counselors, social workers, clergy, primary care doctors, nurses, and or licensed therapists. In grieving cases that are not extreme, discussion or support groups can be very helpful.
When I started my nursing career, I remember how I dreaded death. Because I learned from not-so-reliable sources (television) that death was evil and it created a negative and spooky feeling. Having help from coworkers that assisted me while caring for dead or dying patients was very helpful, because the other myth was how the dead came back to take you with them or to just scare you by taking a violent last breath; I figured with help, at least one of us would have an opportunity to run away or help the other, definitely a scene right out of a cheesy horror movie for sure! After working medical surgery in a community hospital, I was quickly acclimated to death and realized how inaccurate the movies had been. I had witnessed people suffer, their quality of life had been reduced to lying in a bed unable to walk, move, or eat, all while in pain. In these instances, death seemed to be the logical remedy. When the patients would die, there was a sense of peace instead of horror, and it only looked like they were asleep as opposed to resembling a zombie. I found the horror to be in their suffering; it was quite scary to see someone walking and talking one day, and screaming in pain the next. I also spent some time working for a hospice agency, that job afforded me the opportunities to comfort patients and their families during their transition. I was able to witness first hand how the depiction of death had changed; people had started to accept death by opting to be comforted and transition peacefully after tremendous suffering and or a terminal diagnosis. I have never experienced a personal or professional traumatic death; the patients and close family members that have died, did so as a result of long suffering, or old age. I wish to never experience a sudden or traumatic death because the circumstances are the scariest things I could ever imagine. I remember hearing the codes over the intercom in the hospital when traumas would arrive, I was secretly relieved that I didn't deal with witnessing the gunshot, car accident, or murder victims, but I also awkwardly wondered how I would handle such a situation in my career, would I faint?
Everyone deals with death differently, there is no specific way that one must cope with death or grieve, however, there are "some cases...morbid grief reactions [that] occur that prevent the successful conclusion of [the] life crisis [death]" (Fiore p. 285). There are extreme ways that some people grieve that warrant professional help and resources are available in many forms; professional help with severe grief can come in the form of grief counselors, social workers, clergy, primary care doctors, nurses, and or licensed therapists. In grieving cases that are not extreme, discussion or support groups can be very helpful.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Week Six-Card-Life Span Development Chapters 9 and 10
In chapter 9 of Life Smart it describes the different ways human beings are described to develop into early adulthood; through religious, physical, educational, social, and or economical rites of passage. Dependent upon culture, humans can be considered early adults if they have reached puberty (girls, first menarche and boys, first wet dream), graduated from high school, gotten married, had religious Confirmation, and or joined the armed forces amongst many other occurrences. In Western culture, there are many ways by which human beings are considered young adults, but the most popular occasion is reaching the age of 18; if a human is at least 18 years or older they usually are allowed to vote, join the armed forces, at the age when they graduate from high school and or enter college, considered by law an adult, and parents are no longer responsible for wrong doings or needed for permission to have medical procedures/screenings or participate in an event. In early adulthood "physical changes slow down after the dramatic changes that occur in adolescence...young adults are in peak condition" (Fiore p. 210). Early adulthood also comes with its own list of behaviors that are not conducive to becoming a healthy middle to late adult. They are more at risk for binge drinking, use of tobacco, rape, and sexual harassment. Surprisingly, the rate of sexual activity amongst this group has declined perhaps due to the availability of sex education and resources of affordable contraception. "In early adulthood, people begin to form patterns that affect their future lifestyle, and work, in turn, begins to shape a person's identity" (Fiore p. 224).
I call early adulthood (ages 18-25) the "rush to get to" stage. I remember how much I couldn't wait to get to the age of 18. My romantic crush at the time was one year older than I was and had asked me to his prom, my mom told me "No" and I was devastated! She told me since I wasn't 18 yet, she wasn't going to be responsible for the possible lewd behavior that going to prom promoted. I had never been in trouble before, at least not to the extent that I ended up in jail or a hospital, so I didn't understand what she meant. Looking back, I now see that she was just trying to protect me, after all, she was already a mother by the time she went to prom. I also remember being excited to skip over the ages of 19-20 to hurry up and get to the age of 21, this was the more official age for me; I could legally drink and buy alcohol, and get into clubs. Early adulthood was very fun for me, I waited to do most things at the lawful age and didn't feel like I missed out on anything other than traveling more. This was the time in my life I remember making many mistakes, learning from the lessons, and I now see how they helped develop my identity; I now understand why I do and don't do certain things, and the example I try to set for my children using routine, love, discipline, understanding, communication, and consistency. Knowing that my children will most likely experience some of the same excitement I had for this stage, hopefully they can make different mistakes, and better decisions than I did.
Chapter 10 describes the middle-aged adult (ages 25-65). This age group is representative of "consequences that affect health and well-being [as a result of] habits that formed in earlier life stages" (Fiore p. 234). In middle adulthood Erikson describes "generativity vs stagnation" as the crisis; middle-aged adults are either able "to be useful to self and society (generatively) [or] become bored, self-absorbed, and unable to contribute to society's welfare (stagnation)" (Fiore p. 244). Many changes take place during this time because of the large age span; the middle adult experiences marriage or marriage reappraisal, divorce, having a family, relationships with aging parents, minor changes in sexuality, deepening of friendships, mid-life transitions, decline in reproduction, and loss of some intelligence amongst some others.
Being a middle-aged adult myself, I can relate to many of the identifying aspects; I am married, have a career, raising a family, have deeper relationships with both family and friends, as well as a volunteered decline in reproduction! I remember starting middle adulthood and at the age of 25 I moved out of my parent's house and bought my own house (with my boyfriend at the time). I became a parent at almost 29 and married at 30. I am currently raising a family, continuing education for career advancement, and feel that my health concerns and body image are results of pregnancy and child birth as opposed to nutrition (obesity) or lifestyle (alcohol or drug abuse). I have a selective hearing loss (lol), and I can both see and hear very well! I feel my intelligence has increased, and that I am useful to society with periods of stagnation due to lack of sleep. Did I mention I was a volunteer before my reproduction declined? I have not identified the paragraph that states how children cause aging in the middle adult; chapter 10 does not mention that children drive their parents to drink, have mental illness, break up friendships, and over eat. Children also make the middle adult actually enhance vision and hearing; middle-aged parents can hear a cough before it reaches a child's lips in the middle of REM sleep, and can see who is playing in the bathroom with one eye open and in another room!!!
I call early adulthood (ages 18-25) the "rush to get to" stage. I remember how much I couldn't wait to get to the age of 18. My romantic crush at the time was one year older than I was and had asked me to his prom, my mom told me "No" and I was devastated! She told me since I wasn't 18 yet, she wasn't going to be responsible for the possible lewd behavior that going to prom promoted. I had never been in trouble before, at least not to the extent that I ended up in jail or a hospital, so I didn't understand what she meant. Looking back, I now see that she was just trying to protect me, after all, she was already a mother by the time she went to prom. I also remember being excited to skip over the ages of 19-20 to hurry up and get to the age of 21, this was the more official age for me; I could legally drink and buy alcohol, and get into clubs. Early adulthood was very fun for me, I waited to do most things at the lawful age and didn't feel like I missed out on anything other than traveling more. This was the time in my life I remember making many mistakes, learning from the lessons, and I now see how they helped develop my identity; I now understand why I do and don't do certain things, and the example I try to set for my children using routine, love, discipline, understanding, communication, and consistency. Knowing that my children will most likely experience some of the same excitement I had for this stage, hopefully they can make different mistakes, and better decisions than I did.
Chapter 10 describes the middle-aged adult (ages 25-65). This age group is representative of "consequences that affect health and well-being [as a result of] habits that formed in earlier life stages" (Fiore p. 234). In middle adulthood Erikson describes "generativity vs stagnation" as the crisis; middle-aged adults are either able "to be useful to self and society (generatively) [or] become bored, self-absorbed, and unable to contribute to society's welfare (stagnation)" (Fiore p. 244). Many changes take place during this time because of the large age span; the middle adult experiences marriage or marriage reappraisal, divorce, having a family, relationships with aging parents, minor changes in sexuality, deepening of friendships, mid-life transitions, decline in reproduction, and loss of some intelligence amongst some others.
Being a middle-aged adult myself, I can relate to many of the identifying aspects; I am married, have a career, raising a family, have deeper relationships with both family and friends, as well as a volunteered decline in reproduction! I remember starting middle adulthood and at the age of 25 I moved out of my parent's house and bought my own house (with my boyfriend at the time). I became a parent at almost 29 and married at 30. I am currently raising a family, continuing education for career advancement, and feel that my health concerns and body image are results of pregnancy and child birth as opposed to nutrition (obesity) or lifestyle (alcohol or drug abuse). I have a selective hearing loss (lol), and I can both see and hear very well! I feel my intelligence has increased, and that I am useful to society with periods of stagnation due to lack of sleep. Did I mention I was a volunteer before my reproduction declined? I have not identified the paragraph that states how children cause aging in the middle adult; chapter 10 does not mention that children drive their parents to drink, have mental illness, break up friendships, and over eat. Children also make the middle adult actually enhance vision and hearing; middle-aged parents can hear a cough before it reaches a child's lips in the middle of REM sleep, and can see who is playing in the bathroom with one eye open and in another room!!!
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Week Five-Card-Life Span Development Chapter 8
Chapter 8 is a tough pill to swallow, as it informs readers of all the awkward changes adolescents (ages 12-17) experience on their way to becoming adults. In this stage of life there is so much that is going on and one could only imagine how hard it is on an adolescent in today's time with technology and social media to add to the list. During the adolescence, children are going through puberty, mental and physical development, sexual identity (identifying gender as well as physical attraction for others of the same and or opposite gender), and mental health issues are likely prevalent but can be overlooked.
I once heard from parents of older children how I will miss the younger ages of my children once they become adolescents. I would always reply with something like, "I'll let you know, because right now it's not looking good; I'm sleep deprived and my husband and I are really tag-team parents, and roommates!" My hypothesis is that at each stage of development it is very hard on both children and their parents. Having helpful insights like education through sources such as doctor office visits (prenatal, family practice, and pediatrician visits), schools, and social groups may be the key to raising the most healthy children possible at any developmental phase. Erik Erickson refers to adolescence by using "the term identity crisis" (Fiore p. 194). He determined that "adolescents experiment with a variety of identities, yet experience no responsibility for the consequences...indecision-and tolerance of it-and idealism are essential in the identity-seeking process" (Fiore p. 194). I feel his description of adolescence is spot on, and many people are not aware of how experimentation is normal behavior of adolescence. As a result of unaware behavior of the adolescent, "Adolescent suicide represents the third leading cause of death among teenagers" (Shaffer & Pfeffer, 2001). Yes, there are some experiments we all wish children never think to do, but it's actually how we all learned some important life lessons; we have all experienced an instance of something we were taught was very dangerous or bad for us, we did it anyway, it resulted in some kind of horrible experience, and we kept those memories close so that we were/are deterred from doing it again. It's sort of like the old saying, "A hard head makes a soft a$$!" Parents can't be with their children all the time, and they have to rely on examples, morals, rules that are instilled, and life lessons, hoping that they will serve as the best decision making compasses thereafter. But shouldn't there be some basic knowledge available for parents along the way?
All in all, education is the key. I agree with Shelby Knox in the short film, Education of Shelby Knox, where Shelby Knox is a teen who is part of a youth group that bring awareness to the plights of adolescents in a small, Christian, and conservative part of Texas. The school system and parents were against sex education and gay rights despite the high percentage of teen sexual activity, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates. Parents are not being educated or held accountable for their children's ignorance, and negative acts. Yes, there are many instances that parents are not educated about, and I know that parenting does not come with a manual, however, in my mind, I think there should be a fool-proof system set in place. Every year it is recommended for our children to be seen by their pediatricians at some time around their birthday, but why isn't it mandatory? This is where the parent can be thoroughly educated and reminded yearly about each phase of their child/ren's development. Nutritionist, counselors, and social workers should be a normal part of the healthcare team to monitor the child and their family's overall health status (physical, mental, emotional, social, and economical) as they are all relative to each other. Instead of schools requiring health screens only at kindergarten, sixth grade, entrance of high school and college, to verify immunizations, there should be a mandatory health screen yearly to promote education and screening of normal and abnormal behavior at each stage of development. This system of checks and balances could cut down on teenage pregnancy, sexual and substance abuse, mental health issues, stress, and criminal behavior. Even though we will not see a total eradication of the problems that adolescents face, with a system set in place for education, they can be all dealt with sooner rather than later. Having awareness of development at all stages can result in more positive and healthier outcomes. I am not experienced with this age group, as none of my children have yet approached this age or the onset of puberty, but I am happy to have learned more through this class, and see how I can use this information to educate my patients and hopefully develop a system to prevent the reoccurring high rates of the aforementioned unfavorable circumstances of adolescents.
I once heard from parents of older children how I will miss the younger ages of my children once they become adolescents. I would always reply with something like, "I'll let you know, because right now it's not looking good; I'm sleep deprived and my husband and I are really tag-team parents, and roommates!" My hypothesis is that at each stage of development it is very hard on both children and their parents. Having helpful insights like education through sources such as doctor office visits (prenatal, family practice, and pediatrician visits), schools, and social groups may be the key to raising the most healthy children possible at any developmental phase. Erik Erickson refers to adolescence by using "the term identity crisis" (Fiore p. 194). He determined that "adolescents experiment with a variety of identities, yet experience no responsibility for the consequences...indecision-and tolerance of it-and idealism are essential in the identity-seeking process" (Fiore p. 194). I feel his description of adolescence is spot on, and many people are not aware of how experimentation is normal behavior of adolescence. As a result of unaware behavior of the adolescent, "Adolescent suicide represents the third leading cause of death among teenagers" (Shaffer & Pfeffer, 2001). Yes, there are some experiments we all wish children never think to do, but it's actually how we all learned some important life lessons; we have all experienced an instance of something we were taught was very dangerous or bad for us, we did it anyway, it resulted in some kind of horrible experience, and we kept those memories close so that we were/are deterred from doing it again. It's sort of like the old saying, "A hard head makes a soft a$$!" Parents can't be with their children all the time, and they have to rely on examples, morals, rules that are instilled, and life lessons, hoping that they will serve as the best decision making compasses thereafter. But shouldn't there be some basic knowledge available for parents along the way?
All in all, education is the key. I agree with Shelby Knox in the short film, Education of Shelby Knox, where Shelby Knox is a teen who is part of a youth group that bring awareness to the plights of adolescents in a small, Christian, and conservative part of Texas. The school system and parents were against sex education and gay rights despite the high percentage of teen sexual activity, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates. Parents are not being educated or held accountable for their children's ignorance, and negative acts. Yes, there are many instances that parents are not educated about, and I know that parenting does not come with a manual, however, in my mind, I think there should be a fool-proof system set in place. Every year it is recommended for our children to be seen by their pediatricians at some time around their birthday, but why isn't it mandatory? This is where the parent can be thoroughly educated and reminded yearly about each phase of their child/ren's development. Nutritionist, counselors, and social workers should be a normal part of the healthcare team to monitor the child and their family's overall health status (physical, mental, emotional, social, and economical) as they are all relative to each other. Instead of schools requiring health screens only at kindergarten, sixth grade, entrance of high school and college, to verify immunizations, there should be a mandatory health screen yearly to promote education and screening of normal and abnormal behavior at each stage of development. This system of checks and balances could cut down on teenage pregnancy, sexual and substance abuse, mental health issues, stress, and criminal behavior. Even though we will not see a total eradication of the problems that adolescents face, with a system set in place for education, they can be all dealt with sooner rather than later. Having awareness of development at all stages can result in more positive and healthier outcomes. I am not experienced with this age group, as none of my children have yet approached this age or the onset of puberty, but I am happy to have learned more through this class, and see how I can use this information to educate my patients and hopefully develop a system to prevent the reoccurring high rates of the aforementioned unfavorable circumstances of adolescents.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Week Four-Card-Life Span Development Chapters 6 and 7
There are so many important topics to discuss in these chapters and with the short film on bullying, how does a girl choose? Chapter 6 describes the development of early childhood ages 2-6. At these ages, the brain and the body are not growing as fast as they did in infancy, however, the brain is making major neuronal connections to begin the journey of memory and the development of other cognitive skills. It seems as though everything has slowed down as far as physical growth, and we began to discover if all the growth done in infancy manifests in appropriate physical and motor skills, cognitive and language development, and how effective family and learning environments are for this age group. We also get to witness how a sense of self is developed, what gender roles are revealed, and if "play involves developing social skills and awareness of enjoyment...[if] play also impact other areas of development" (Fiore p. 149). This chapter also informs readers of the importance of children's artwork showing how "children's drawings not only are good clues to their motor coordination but also provide insights into their cognitive and emotional lives" (Fiore p. 151). This chapter is quite informative on hot topics that may effect early childhood like parenting styles, and discipline.
The hot topics that I can most relate to, are parenting styles, the effects of spanking, and gender development. I am totally an authoritative parent, as I definitely respond to my children's needs and some of their wishes, I believe that my husband and I are in control, and we probably lecture them about behaviors 2-3 times a day. Because of the many lectures, and them seeming to understand, we expect them to be mature, despite the daily meal time disruptions. We definitely encourage their independence (my husband more so than myself) as they at 8, 7, and 5 years of age are all able to clean up their toys, make their beds (changing their linen), dress themselves, proper hygiene, put their clothes away in the right places (hamper and drawers), load and unload the dishwasher. Now the effects of spanking, as mentioned during the infancy chapters, are only used when the children will cause great harm to themselves or others. We have developed discipline over the time and as they get older and wiser, the discipline change. Some things work while others don't, and even so, it depends on the day, time, and the child. For the most part my oldest, 8 year old son, is not a fan of writing lines stating how he will not do something, and that is working for him for now. For both boys holding in a push-up position or sitting position against the wall with their arms out seems to be very effective, and the punishment doubles to build their little muscles as well. My daughter is the rebel of all rebels! She came here, I believe, just to prove me wrong and torture me. Nothing seems to work with her; she already know she is the only girl, and the youngest. She is very outgoing, loud, and just an all around antagonist. She talks a lot, and take longer than she should to eat dinner unless it's tacos. We are patiently trying to be consistent with the rules, and so far consistency has worked a little, but she is definitely wearing us thin. Hopefully she calms down, all suggestions are welcomed, and P.S., spankings never worked for her (not time out, push-up position, taking toys away, or even her missing out on treats). As far as gender is concerned, we have made no attempts to force one or the other, we pretty much play all the roles in the house as my husband and I both cook, do dishes, take out the trash, laundry, work (I have worked), comb hair, baths, and homework. He does fix everything that breaks in the house, and do the majority of the yard work, but I clean the bathrooms so we are even! It does seem as though once they started school that they were influenced by peers to make a difference in gender; boys play with boys and girls play with girls. My oldest son gravitated towards legos, building things, carefully organizing toys, and has always been a stickler for rules since he was an infant. The middle child is a natural athlete and technical guy, and likes to look good too. The youngest is rough, tough, likes to dress up very fancy for all and any occasion, and did I mention she is very loud?!
In Chapter 7 middle childhood is discussed. Middle childhood is considered ages 7-11. This age group is also growing at a very slow rate, but "the brain continues forming stronger connections...the brain has reached about the size it will be in adulthood" (Fiore p. 157). This is the age where morals, critical thinking, and problem solving skills are noticed. Social skills developed from early childhood by parents and other influential adults are now seen to sprout relationships with peers and other outsiders. They are aware of changes within themselves and compared to others. This also leads to self-esteem and "any discrepancy between the perceived ideal self and the real self can be a strong motivating force" (Fiore p. 173). This chapter interprets the roles of expectations and achievements, technology, stress, child abuse, and neglect, all have on middle childhood. Relating to middle childhood and beyond, is a nationwide epidemic of bullying. CBS' 48 hour report of Bullying: Words Can Kill, gave us a brief, but very real picture of what middle childhood aged children and older are experiencing when hurtful words are said and typed, and how constant negative behavior including physical harm are the cause of low self esteem leading to self harm up to death and suicide amongst this age group. I have personally experienced bullying in middle childhood all because a group of girls were being neglected by their parents. My mom always made sure I practiced proper hygiene and looked nice for school with her added grooming. I was pushed into bushes and called bad names. I told my mother after two instances and she quickly acted! She went directly to the parents of these girls, she knew them from childhood herself, and informed them of the events that took place. The parents had no clue, and quickly handled the situations. I had little to no lasting effects from my experience with bullying, as I am confident in myself and my decisions. And for the record, I hope to never experience this issue with my children. Their school is proactive as they educate the children on bullying and other behaviors not tolerated at school. Another issue that may become a problem later for my children is cultural diversity. I am labeled "African-American", and my husband, "Caucasian". Our children are a mixture of both, with features not too revealing of either. Because we live in a predominantly black and hispanic neighborhood, I am afraid that peers will attempt to persuade them to pick one race over the other. We are teaching them how an individual defines who they are alone, and does not speak for a majority, but social media and other influences seems to be hard to compete with. Here's to hoping that we can use media to spread love, and we can all help to spread love in our immediate surroundings as well.
The hot topics that I can most relate to, are parenting styles, the effects of spanking, and gender development. I am totally an authoritative parent, as I definitely respond to my children's needs and some of their wishes, I believe that my husband and I are in control, and we probably lecture them about behaviors 2-3 times a day. Because of the many lectures, and them seeming to understand, we expect them to be mature, despite the daily meal time disruptions. We definitely encourage their independence (my husband more so than myself) as they at 8, 7, and 5 years of age are all able to clean up their toys, make their beds (changing their linen), dress themselves, proper hygiene, put their clothes away in the right places (hamper and drawers), load and unload the dishwasher. Now the effects of spanking, as mentioned during the infancy chapters, are only used when the children will cause great harm to themselves or others. We have developed discipline over the time and as they get older and wiser, the discipline change. Some things work while others don't, and even so, it depends on the day, time, and the child. For the most part my oldest, 8 year old son, is not a fan of writing lines stating how he will not do something, and that is working for him for now. For both boys holding in a push-up position or sitting position against the wall with their arms out seems to be very effective, and the punishment doubles to build their little muscles as well. My daughter is the rebel of all rebels! She came here, I believe, just to prove me wrong and torture me. Nothing seems to work with her; she already know she is the only girl, and the youngest. She is very outgoing, loud, and just an all around antagonist. She talks a lot, and take longer than she should to eat dinner unless it's tacos. We are patiently trying to be consistent with the rules, and so far consistency has worked a little, but she is definitely wearing us thin. Hopefully she calms down, all suggestions are welcomed, and P.S., spankings never worked for her (not time out, push-up position, taking toys away, or even her missing out on treats). As far as gender is concerned, we have made no attempts to force one or the other, we pretty much play all the roles in the house as my husband and I both cook, do dishes, take out the trash, laundry, work (I have worked), comb hair, baths, and homework. He does fix everything that breaks in the house, and do the majority of the yard work, but I clean the bathrooms so we are even! It does seem as though once they started school that they were influenced by peers to make a difference in gender; boys play with boys and girls play with girls. My oldest son gravitated towards legos, building things, carefully organizing toys, and has always been a stickler for rules since he was an infant. The middle child is a natural athlete and technical guy, and likes to look good too. The youngest is rough, tough, likes to dress up very fancy for all and any occasion, and did I mention she is very loud?!
In Chapter 7 middle childhood is discussed. Middle childhood is considered ages 7-11. This age group is also growing at a very slow rate, but "the brain continues forming stronger connections...the brain has reached about the size it will be in adulthood" (Fiore p. 157). This is the age where morals, critical thinking, and problem solving skills are noticed. Social skills developed from early childhood by parents and other influential adults are now seen to sprout relationships with peers and other outsiders. They are aware of changes within themselves and compared to others. This also leads to self-esteem and "any discrepancy between the perceived ideal self and the real self can be a strong motivating force" (Fiore p. 173). This chapter interprets the roles of expectations and achievements, technology, stress, child abuse, and neglect, all have on middle childhood. Relating to middle childhood and beyond, is a nationwide epidemic of bullying. CBS' 48 hour report of Bullying: Words Can Kill, gave us a brief, but very real picture of what middle childhood aged children and older are experiencing when hurtful words are said and typed, and how constant negative behavior including physical harm are the cause of low self esteem leading to self harm up to death and suicide amongst this age group. I have personally experienced bullying in middle childhood all because a group of girls were being neglected by their parents. My mom always made sure I practiced proper hygiene and looked nice for school with her added grooming. I was pushed into bushes and called bad names. I told my mother after two instances and she quickly acted! She went directly to the parents of these girls, she knew them from childhood herself, and informed them of the events that took place. The parents had no clue, and quickly handled the situations. I had little to no lasting effects from my experience with bullying, as I am confident in myself and my decisions. And for the record, I hope to never experience this issue with my children. Their school is proactive as they educate the children on bullying and other behaviors not tolerated at school. Another issue that may become a problem later for my children is cultural diversity. I am labeled "African-American", and my husband, "Caucasian". Our children are a mixture of both, with features not too revealing of either. Because we live in a predominantly black and hispanic neighborhood, I am afraid that peers will attempt to persuade them to pick one race over the other. We are teaching them how an individual defines who they are alone, and does not speak for a majority, but social media and other influences seems to be hard to compete with. Here's to hoping that we can use media to spread love, and we can all help to spread love in our immediate surroundings as well.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Week Three-Card-Life Span Development Chapters 3-5
All the wonderful things Mrs. Brown can do, and Mr. Brown helps too! In chapter 3 it explains pregnancy; fertilization and the different stages of gestation. This chapter breaks down all the details of conception inclusive of the cells used in reproduction, cell parts and their roles, mutations that can effect cells during pregnancy, and the disorders mutations can cause. Chapter three gives its readers information about both natural and artificial fertilization. In cases of infertility, there are "many forms of assisted reproductions technologies (ART) are now available (Gardner et al., 2004; Leifer, 2003; Marrs, Bloch, & Silverman, 1997). Alternative reproduction options include In vitro fertilization (IVF), Intrauterine insemination (IUI), Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), sperm and egg donation, surrogate mother, and adoption. Details of the effects of disease, alcohol, and drug use (prescription or recreational use) can have on pregnancy are included. This chapter hit home for me for two reasons; I have had three successful pregnancies, and cell mutation played a role in my last one. My daughter has Sickle Cell SC disease. I carry an "S" trait, and my husband carry the "C" trait. So far we have been blessed, and my daughter has been healthy with no crisis. We are praying for a cure, and until we find one, healthy habits are an absolute priority; protection from extreme heat and cold, hydration, proper nutrition, rest, and education are all part of our daily routine.
Chapter 4 is informative of labor, delivery, and postpartum. Birth has been an ongoing event since the beginning of time. There has been great advancements in childbirth because of research done to help women all over the world have a desirable, safe, and healthy labor and delivery. There are many methods used as "a woman's choices for childbirth practices will vary depending on her culture, the society of which she is a part, and her individual temperament" (Fiore p. 82). Despite the advancements in medicine and research done to prevent deaths during labor and delivery, women are now reverting back to having home births as opposed to delivering their babies in hospital settings. History shows us the negative effects of the drugs used to alleviate pain during child birth, and how now more mothers are opting for a drug-free delivery. With information at everyone's fingertips, women are more informed of their choices. Labor and delivery have been trending lately as women are choosing unique birth plans; scheduled c-sections, bath tub deliveries, hypnosis, and lamaze methods amongst others. I remember having it all planned out, and thought it would be easy. I didn't experience my water spontaneously exploding into a puddle, but I do remember the pain that came with contractions of active labor and having no pain relief for hours. I did get three epidurals, I dilated to 10 cm twice, and pushed for three hours just to have a c-section two times. Both of my boys were too big for me to have vaginally, so I had c-sections. My first born son was 9 lbs 6oz and 21 1/2 inches, and my second born son was 8 lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches. With my third born daughter, I scheduled a c-section, picked her birthday, and she was 7 lbs 4 oz and 19 1/2 inches. In many ways I felt that I was cheated out of the birth plan I desired; the doctor's bed side manner was horrible! However, I am grateful that my children and I were/are healthy. I plan to use my nursing license to spread education, so that women can make informed choices about their healthcare inclusive of the many childbirth options.
Chapter 5 describes the development of infants. Through research it has been discovered that "our view of an infant today is of an individual with enormous potential, one whose activity and competence are much greater than originally believed" (Fiore p. 124). I truly believe the quote, "children know more than one thinks" (author unknown). This chapter shows how although each child is different, there are some characteristics that determine if a child is developing at, above, or below normal range based on age, height, and weight amongst other measurements. These findings are used to measure health, and can detect both treatable and untreatable abnormalities. I used to wonder why the pediatrician always asked weird questions during checkups when my children were infants, but those little milestones are/were important to my children's development. Now, they even evaluate the mother to detect postpartum depression. Even though it's a great start, I think more should be done to ensure the mother and child are safe. I remember feeling so closed in after I had my second baby, I was so sleep deprived and overwhelmed with a toddler and newborn. I was so fortunate that my husband picked up on the signs right away and was able to get me out of the house to prevent further development of depression. Even though I had a mild case, I recognized how severe postpartum depression can be for other women who are not evaluated or does not have an informed support system.
Chapter 4 is informative of labor, delivery, and postpartum. Birth has been an ongoing event since the beginning of time. There has been great advancements in childbirth because of research done to help women all over the world have a desirable, safe, and healthy labor and delivery. There are many methods used as "a woman's choices for childbirth practices will vary depending on her culture, the society of which she is a part, and her individual temperament" (Fiore p. 82). Despite the advancements in medicine and research done to prevent deaths during labor and delivery, women are now reverting back to having home births as opposed to delivering their babies in hospital settings. History shows us the negative effects of the drugs used to alleviate pain during child birth, and how now more mothers are opting for a drug-free delivery. With information at everyone's fingertips, women are more informed of their choices. Labor and delivery have been trending lately as women are choosing unique birth plans; scheduled c-sections, bath tub deliveries, hypnosis, and lamaze methods amongst others. I remember having it all planned out, and thought it would be easy. I didn't experience my water spontaneously exploding into a puddle, but I do remember the pain that came with contractions of active labor and having no pain relief for hours. I did get three epidurals, I dilated to 10 cm twice, and pushed for three hours just to have a c-section two times. Both of my boys were too big for me to have vaginally, so I had c-sections. My first born son was 9 lbs 6oz and 21 1/2 inches, and my second born son was 8 lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches. With my third born daughter, I scheduled a c-section, picked her birthday, and she was 7 lbs 4 oz and 19 1/2 inches. In many ways I felt that I was cheated out of the birth plan I desired; the doctor's bed side manner was horrible! However, I am grateful that my children and I were/are healthy. I plan to use my nursing license to spread education, so that women can make informed choices about their healthcare inclusive of the many childbirth options.
Chapter 5 describes the development of infants. Through research it has been discovered that "our view of an infant today is of an individual with enormous potential, one whose activity and competence are much greater than originally believed" (Fiore p. 124). I truly believe the quote, "children know more than one thinks" (author unknown). This chapter shows how although each child is different, there are some characteristics that determine if a child is developing at, above, or below normal range based on age, height, and weight amongst other measurements. These findings are used to measure health, and can detect both treatable and untreatable abnormalities. I used to wonder why the pediatrician always asked weird questions during checkups when my children were infants, but those little milestones are/were important to my children's development. Now, they even evaluate the mother to detect postpartum depression. Even though it's a great start, I think more should be done to ensure the mother and child are safe. I remember feeling so closed in after I had my second baby, I was so sleep deprived and overwhelmed with a toddler and newborn. I was so fortunate that my husband picked up on the signs right away and was able to get me out of the house to prevent further development of depression. Even though I had a mild case, I recognized how severe postpartum depression can be for other women who are not evaluated or does not have an informed support system.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Week Two-Card-Life Span Development Chapter 2
Sigmund Freud has laid the foundation for psychoanalysis as we know it today. He developed the theory of how significant the early years were and are to human development. Throughout the years, other psychoanalysts came along with their theories either building upon Freud's theories or straying away from them. Freud's theories were interpreted as being very carnal, as he used references to sex and pleasure when describing the development of children, and many were not comfortable with the correlations. Despite the sexual references, psychoanalysts were "influenced by Freud, but searching for a different perspective" (Fiore p. 32). They began to look at other factors that they felt did and could significantly affect human development like environment, genetics, social experiences, and culture amongst other factors. Erik Erikson was a psychoanalyst who built on Freud's theory, but from a social perspective. He conducted many studies around the world to gather information to explain human development. Erikson's theories showed how humans have crisis at each stage of development, and in order to move to the next stage, the crisis must be resolved first. Other theorists like Jean Piaget was intrigued by how children developed intelligence and focused his studies of human development on cognition. Another influential psychologist was Lev Vygotsky, who based his theories of human development on "children's interaction with the adults around them" (Fiore p. 36). He felt that children development was based on the acts of the influential adults they interacted with often. Another behavioral theorist, Ivan Pavlov, created the theory of classical conditioning just by observing a dog that salivated when it ate food. He opened the doors for others like John Watson and B. F. Skinner, who tied conditioning to human development and "the use of consequences to modify or shape voluntary behavior or actions" (Fiore p. 39).
With the history of the theories of human development, it seems as though there will be plenty more discoveries of how humans develop as time and technology continue to evolve. From my perspective as a parent with three children, I see some similarities and some differences amongst each of them. Each child responds differently to the morals, values, rules, routines, affection, and boundaries set in our household. Being a stay at home mom gave me the advantage to observe my children from the day they were born until the present time and compare characteristics at different ages and stages in early childhood. Some characteristics of theories developed from some of the aforementioned psychoanalysts are accurate. I have witnessed how genetics, culture, social influence, and the basic needs all play a role in their development. I have also realized that what may work for one child may not work for the other, and sometimes it really depends on the day of the week, the amount of rest they had, time of day (lunch, dinner, etc.), the weather, and many other factors. There is no human development theory mentioned that is specific to any individual. These theorists have provided the world with resources to refer to for basic understanding. I believe, "Physical, cognitive, and social factors interact in ways that we are only beginning to comprehend" (Fiore p. 42). As the world turns there will be future generations with similarities and differences from those of yesterday and today. It will be very exciting to see if the future psychoanalysts will revert to build upon Freud's theory again. I wonder if they will discover whether he was appropriate or inappropriate when describing human development in the manner he did. I really think that in Freud's days, the public was very sexually conservative and completely misinterpreted his ideas; he wanted to be clear and specific when he described the stages to prevent any misconception of his findings.
With the history of the theories of human development, it seems as though there will be plenty more discoveries of how humans develop as time and technology continue to evolve. From my perspective as a parent with three children, I see some similarities and some differences amongst each of them. Each child responds differently to the morals, values, rules, routines, affection, and boundaries set in our household. Being a stay at home mom gave me the advantage to observe my children from the day they were born until the present time and compare characteristics at different ages and stages in early childhood. Some characteristics of theories developed from some of the aforementioned psychoanalysts are accurate. I have witnessed how genetics, culture, social influence, and the basic needs all play a role in their development. I have also realized that what may work for one child may not work for the other, and sometimes it really depends on the day of the week, the amount of rest they had, time of day (lunch, dinner, etc.), the weather, and many other factors. There is no human development theory mentioned that is specific to any individual. These theorists have provided the world with resources to refer to for basic understanding. I believe, "Physical, cognitive, and social factors interact in ways that we are only beginning to comprehend" (Fiore p. 42). As the world turns there will be future generations with similarities and differences from those of yesterday and today. It will be very exciting to see if the future psychoanalysts will revert to build upon Freud's theory again. I wonder if they will discover whether he was appropriate or inappropriate when describing human development in the manner he did. I really think that in Freud's days, the public was very sexually conservative and completely misinterpreted his ideas; he wanted to be clear and specific when he described the stages to prevent any misconception of his findings.
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