When I Think of Child Development

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Adults as Guides and Facilitators

http://www.baby-pictures.org/baby-playing-piano-in-the-ph

"We should spend less time ranking children and more time helping them to identify their natural competencies and gifts and cultivate these. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways to succeed and many, many different abilities that will help you get there."

Playing kids | Stock Photo © Alena Ozerova #3098371

This quote resonates with me as a mother and a teacher, but especially as a teacher. I find that our school system fails to embrace the child as an individual and rather tries to force each child into similar shapes without regard for each child’s strengths and challenges. Most children can get through this antiquated system unscathed due to a supportive family or outside support but many children leave formal schooling feeling uninspired, tired of learning, and lacking in creativity. 

                                          Every child deserves to feel excited about learning, successful, and supported. 

Read more at http://quotes.dictionary.com/subject/child development, intellectual?page=1#JzgO7SEkozw5AZyR.99 We_should_spend_less_time_ranking_children_and. (n.d.). Columbia World of Quotations. Retrieved December 16, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://quotes.dictionary.com/We_should_spend_less_time_ranking_children_and

Adults as Caregivers and Nurturers

Retrieved from blackwomenshealth.com Title:CB106351

"At birth every infant has the potential to make the world more caring. Their need for a tender, nurturing mother can be met, or it can be denied. Most babies in our society fail. They do not get what they evolved to have. Is it any wonder, then, that our world is such an uncaring place?

"When we begin to face the truth about babies and what they need and are willing to provide it for them, then we will be on the road to becoming human again. We will not have to pretend to ourselves and to our children that we are a caring people. It will be obvious by the results."

James Kimmel, Ph.D.,

I found myself thinking twice about this quote because in my circle of friends and family, I feel like the vast majority of the children are having their needs met and are cared for in a kind, supportive and respectful manner. But on further reflection, I am forced to admit that most babies in our society do fail in getting THEIR needs met appropriately. Many parents might think that they are doing the best for their child when in reality, they are either continuing an inadequate cycle of parenting learned from their own parents or are faced with societal challenges that do not allow to fully meet the needs of their children.

Some of the societal pitfalls I would like to see change regard:

·       Breastfeeding: Even though I have yet to be harassed for breastfeeding publicly or in private, I know of many people who have a negative view of breastfeeding and I know women who have been harassed for breastfeeding in public.

·       Support for working moms: Many people believe that women need to choose between being mothers or having a profession. I do not believe that this ought to be the case for anyone who invested in a career and who wants to have the privilege of being a parent to a little miracle. With proper supports (such as maternal and paternal leave and child-friend work places), women and men would be able to be attentive and successful parents and professionals. 

·       Inclusion of fathers as active participants in child’s life: It takes a real man to be a kind, nurturing, and supportive father. This is a message that needs to become part of society today. It takes a support network of loving people to support mother and child. This network needs to begin with the father.

·       End to corporal punishment: Violence begets violence. And if not violence than low self-esteem (and low self-esteem has been linked to aggression.) There are more effective, respectful, and creative ways of guiding a child that does not require physical force.

·       Fostering emotional support and empathy for both genders: Both genders have emotional needs that need to be met and learning to regard the feelings of others applies to both boys and girls. Boys need to be able to express their feelings openly and have their feeling respected just as much as girls. 

A Word of Thanks

I would like to thank my Walden colleagues for their participation in this course. I have learned a lot from being a part of this blogging community as well as the EDUC community. The stories that my colleagues have shared have been very personal and educational. I have learned from the information they have researched and shared. It is inspiring to be part of a like-minded community. I hope that we can all do our part to share the ways in which we can support the healthy development of children around us. Children are priceless and they really are the future. We must raise our children the way we would want them to raise our future generations of people. If we want a peaceful society, we must start at home and within our schools, with our children. 

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In Remembrance

And last but not least, I would like to acknowledge the tragedy at a school in Connecticut. This tragedy has shaken educators and American society in general. It is time we take action and take care of all of our children.