Assignment 12

1. As the program ends, what pathways does your child appear to be on in terms of physical, cognitive, social, emotional and moral development? To what extent could you have predicted these pathways based on what you knew of your child's earlier development?

Well Sky turned out to be a wonderful young women and I am very proud of her. Sky is very fit, physically active, and loves the outdoors, I think that it is very important for her to continue these traits.  Sky’s cognitive development is excellent, the only issue we had was with math and it seems to be a problem that is never going to work itself out.  Sky is very smart and is amazing a writing pieces, she is a very intelligent individual and is going to succeed in life, I’m sure of it.  Sky’s emotional well being is great, she is a very level headed sound individual.  She has her moments of being moody but for the most part is a very enjoyable young women to be around.  Sky’s moral development is excellent, she made a few mistakes here and there but learned from them immediately after.  She is a good person and gets along well with others as well as respects other peoples possessions, Sky also stayed out of trouble throughout her teenage years.  Sky turned out just how I thought she would with one exception, I thought Sky was going to be a little more rebellious to her parents due to the divorce at such a young age.  When the divorce happened Sky was acting out a lot and having a hard time with following rules and respecting her parents.  On the final report card it was mentioned that Sky comes to me over my ex partner for advice, also Sky has a very close relationship with her family which makes me very happy.

 2. Describe some specific ways in which you think your parenting mattered for your child’s development, based on evidence from the course regarding the contributions of parents to child development.

There are several ways in which my parenting style helped develop Sky, one example would have to be the amount of support that I tried to instill on Sky.  I think that it is very important for a parent to support their child and voice their excitement when there child performs well academically, morally, or emotionally.  I always tried to make Sky feel good about her performances that way she would strive to do well all the time.  Another way my parenting played a role with Sky is the way that I would deal with her when she was making bad decisions, what I mean by that is when Sky was experimenting with alcohol and marijuana.  When I was younger I was given the get out of jail free card one time, it made me realize how lucky I was and that I didn’t want to disappoint my parents like that again.  That is the same way I dealt with Sky when she was faced with these situations, and luckily for me and her, she didn’t make the same mistakes.  I feel that I did a very good job in guiding Sky throughout her life, It’s funny because I feel like she is just like me, I know it may sound corny but it seems like I was at the exact stage in my life when she graduated.  I think that I raised Sky just how my parents raised me.

 3. Describe some specific ways in which your child developed that appeared to be influenced by factors outside your control, such as genes, random environmental events or the general influence of contemporary middle-class American culture.

 Well it is hard for me to say that Sky developed differently due to her genes when she is just a virtual child.  However I can pick out when specific example of Sky’s development that is due to environmental issues and the American culture.  Sky has been worried about her appearance ever since she strolled in adolescence.  We had several incidents with Sky worrying about her weight, I was curios as to where she was getting these feelings from, then one day she was reading a magazine in the car and that’s where she was getting her feeling of being overweight from.  I had to put a stop to the magazine reading because I didn’t feel that it was having the best influence on Sky’s well being.  I felt that the modern day society outlook on how women should look was giving Sky a reason to feel less attractive, I felt that Sky didn’t need that negative outlook on herself and once we got rid of the magazine’s Sky become more confident in herself.

 

FINAL SELF-REFLECTIVE PIECE (POSSIBLE BONUS REPORT)

1. Are there any issues you had with your parents, your school work, your friends, or your romantic involvements in the last year of high school that continued to be issues for you in college?

I was very fortunate when it came to my relationship with my parents, we always got along very well.  My parents laid out some really easy rules to follow and as long as I abided by their rules then I had free range on whatever I wanted to do.  There rules were simple they were as follows, get a 3.5 GPA, no drugs, no alcohol, and no trouble as school or with law enforcement, if I followed the rules then I never got in trouble.  So to say the least I had a wonderful relationship with my parents and maintain that relationship to this day.  My school work always came first in high school and still holds priority while in college.  I have a very different group of friends then I did in high school.  It seems like all of my old friends are now doing drugs and not going to school, it is sad when I think about it but that’s just the way the world turns I guess, people grow out of stages and some don’t.  My romantic involvement in high school was really just a typical high school girlfriend and we broke up after graduation because we both had different goals and things we wanted to achieve.  My girlfriend now is much different and one of the most amazing people I have ever met, I can tell you that it is much different then my high school girlfriends.  It should be moving into the next stage here pretty soon when I grow the nerve to ask the big question.

 2. Reflect on your own personality, interests and cognitive abilities at the time you graduated high school. How did these personality characteristics and abilities manifest themselves in subsequent years? How have they changed since your high school days, if at all?

My personality has changed a little bit since high school, I used to be the guy who would always joke around and just try to make people laugh.  I still love to joke around and have a good time but, I am a little more mature now and tend to be more serious then I used to be.  My interests are still very much the same as they were in high school, I love to ride my dirtbike, play baseball, go fishing/hunting, hang out with the family, read books, and my job.  My cognitive strengths were always in reading, writing, history, and language arts.  My weaknesses were always math, I just plain suck at math and for some reason whatever I do I just have a hard time understanding the mathematical process in which to solve a problem.  Since I have gone to college I still struggle in math, I guess I will just have to continue to do my best and hope for a good outcome.  All of these topics have manifested in me since I was a child, I have always focused on being myself and not listening to the people with loose lips.  I feel it is good to have a sound self being and awareness of ones self, that is the way that my traits have manifested throughout my life.

Assignment 11

1. Think about your teen’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses and how they are reflected in his or her school grades and activities from 14-16 years of age. What careers or courses of study might be best suited to your teen’s abilities and interests?
Sky’s cognitive strengths are definitely in reading, writing, and creation of stories on paper. Sky’s cognitive weaknesses are still algebra which is of know surprise, it seems like know matter what I try she still receives a C in math. Career choice number one that I think would compliment Sky is journalism, she has always excelled in reading and writing and seems to enjoy that subject. I also think Sky would do very well in a science major, I am not too sure though because she seems to go through stages of dislike and liking of the topic.

2. How important have your teen’s relationships with peers been to his/her social development, emotional well-being and school achievement from 14-16 years of age?
Sky’s friends have definitely had a huge impact on her, some of her friends are of good influences and some of her friends have a negative influence on her. Sky is involved in many AP classes and leadership roles in school, a lot of her friends share the same achievements with there academic desires, which is a great influence on her because she shares the same interest. Sky’s emotional well being is typical because, she can still be a tad moody but nothing that needs any reprimanding. I am extremely proud of Sky’s academic achievements, she did well on her PSAT, she holds honor roll status, leadership roles, and is beginning her search for a college of her choice. The only issue that I am concerned about is her new boyfriend and some of her new friend choices.

3. How has your teen adjusted at 14-16 years of age to typical adolescent issues such as risk-taking, drugs, alcohol, and sexual interests, and how have you responded to your teen?
Well it seems as if the teenage years are finally here, Sky has gotten into a little bit of trouble as of lately and it has been a learning process for the both of us. Sky was recently at a party and tried some marijuana, she admitted her mistake to me and I gave her a get out of jail free card. With that in mind I had a talk with Sky about her future and the risk of drug use, however a little while later, Sky called me from a party to come pick her up and when she got in the car she smelled of alcohol. Once again I gave her a get out of jail free card and explained my appreciation for her maturity in the matter of calling me and not driving drunk. The following day I had another talk with Sky about these issues and explained the risks of what her actions have led too. If Sky decides to make any more pore decisions she is going to be shocked with the consequences, I believe in giving people second chances and understanding that Sky is a teenager and she is going to make mistakes but, if she continues her actions then she probably wont think that I am that cool of a dad anymore. Last but not least Sky has a new boyfriend and we are unsure of whether or not she is having sex with him, my ex partner took the role of talking to Sky about waiting to have sex, and also covered the important facts of using a condom and simple protection. I really hope that Sky will make an appropriate decision and choose to hold off on sexual activity until she is married.

Assignment 10

1. What activities and experiences at ages 12 and 14 has your teen been involved in that might promote healthy behavioral practices, physical fitness and skill in sports?

Well as far as activities and experiences that Sky has been involved in, I found a few that seem pertinent to Sky’s behavior practices.  Sky is going through a lot right now emotionally and physically, and has been having some temper issues, she has been going for walks when she becomes upset.  By her finding an activity when she is upset shows me that she is maturing, it also shows a lot about her character and it promotes healthy behavioral practices, because she is choosing to walk instead of remaining in the situation and becoming angrier.  Sky has also taking a liking to camping and hiking, I think this is great for her because she is getting good exercise and it is healthy for her to get outside and build muscle.  Last but not least Sky had a little disappointment when she did not make the high school tennis team.  Even though Sky didn’t make the team she is still playing tennis with her aunt, and I’m hoping that by playing with her aunt it will pay off and Sky can make the team next year, plus it is increasing her skill level in the sport.

 2. Have there been any changes in your teen’s behavior toward you or your partner? Why are these occurring and how are you responding?

Of course there has been some behavior changes in Sky’s attitude towards me.  Sky has begun to be a little disrespectful to me when it comes to my rules and expectations.  For example Sky gives me the silent treatment when I start talking to her about bed time, chores, and rules.  Sky has also become a little condescending to me when I explain to her what I expect when she goes out with her friends.  I think that these are occurring because Sky is just trying to figure out how far she can bend the rules or test my patience.  She is a teenage and I knew it was going to be coming sooner or later.  I have not really had to truly discipline her yet but I have denied her the opportunity to go out when she wants too, that way it reminds her that I am still the boss and what I say goes.

 3. Do you see any examples of how cognitive and physical changes in early adolescence (ages 12-14) relate to your teen's social or emotional behavior?

There is one specific example of a physical change in her adolescence that relates to Sky’s social and emotional behavior.  Sky was being made fun of at school because she is “flat chested” and wanted a push up bra.  Her mother bought her the bra to instill confidence and minimize the teasing, but I had a talk with Sky about taking what other people say with a grain of salt.  I know it is hard for a young women in this stage and I was surprised to see how much it effected Sky, but the new bra will hopefully instill more confidence in her social life and her self image.  Sky’s cognitive development in her early adolescence has been a pretty steady process.  She seems to share a lot of the same ideal thinking on topics as her parents.  The only problem that we are still encountering is her math skills.  I think cognitive thinking has a lot to do with someone’s ability to understand math, because it is a theory based evolution to solve each problem.  I am kind of running out of ideas to help Sky with math, I guess that being persistent might just do the trick one of these days.

 

Assignment 9

1. Describe any physical or behavioral signs of incipient puberty.

There are some very obvious signs of physical changes with Sky concerning her puberty stage.  For one she isn’t really the taller lengthy girl anymore and is starting to fill out more in the hips and also in other places that I would rather not mention.  Other signs of Sky hitting that incipient stage of puberty is her general mood swings, sometimes for no apparent reason Sky is cranky and moody, another tall tale sign is her new found interest in boys and the comment “I’m too fat” which tells me that her body is simply changing and she doesn’t want to feel as if she is not attractive.  Sky seems to be having the normal signs of the inevitable puberty stage,

 

2. How would you characterize your child at this point in terms of the under-controlled, over-controlled or resilient categories? Have there been any changes since the preschool period and why might they have occurred?

Sky is still a very resilient child, she is coping very well with all the new changes that she is going through at this stage in her life.  She is for the most part able to bounce back from every change that I make her go through, her mother makes her go through, school, and the general stage of puberty.  The only thing that she is having a hard time adjusting too right now is her feelings towards my girlfriend, and her mothers boyfriend.  I believe this to be a very typical emotion for a child her age and will just wait to see how she grows out of it.  For the most part though Sky is a very strong willed child and has been able adjust too anything that is put in front of her and that’s why I placed my child under the resilient categories.  There really hasn’t been any changes that come to mind since Sky’s preschool age.

 

3. Using the 7th grade report card and your own observations, summarize your child’s academic skills at this point. What specific activities might promote some of these skills? 

Well this report card was good and bad, Sky once again received good grades in English, Social Studies, Spanish, Reading, Spelling, and Writing skills.  Sky has always been strong in the above categories but it seems we have back tracked a little in regards to Sky’s math skills.  I truly believe part of the problem with Sky’s math skills is that she always has a bad attitude towards it.  Her last report card showed improvement but then I got this one and am a little disappointed.  Sky received a “C” in math class and we are definitely going to work on her attitude when it comes to math and I already made the decision to enroll her in after school tutoring.  Sky got a “B” in science but Sky enjoys science and I think with a little bit of support she can bring that back up to an “A”.  The only activity I can think of that will help Sky with her math is playing a game like monopoly and teaching her about financing and the aspect of money.  Ultimately she will need more than this to improve her math skills but it’s a start.

Assignment 8

1. Describe your child’s academic skills between ages 6 and 10 and assess how well these skills are developing. The 5th grade report card will be useful for this but you should also incorporate your own observations. What are you doing to help your child?

I think I am very fortunate with my virtual child, Sky has done nothing but continuously improve in the academic areas. Sky’s current report card stated strengths in reading, spelling, writing, speaking, and listening.  Sky has also been reported as average in the areas of math, graphical applications, arithmetic computation, art and music.  This makes me extremely happy because Sky has struggled all the time with math, I think it had a lot to do with her attitude as much as the understanding aspect of it.  I think that my strategy has finally paid off with Sky, for example Sky would get frustrated with certain math problems and instead of me just doing the problem for her I would have her refer back to example problems and try to figure it out.  When Sky would become too frustrated that’s when I would step in and assist her.  The process seems to have finally paid off, I cant take all the credit though because Sky is a very intelligent individual and is going to do very well in 6^th grade.

 

2. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them?

Sky is a very popular person at school and has a lot of friends, very rarely do we have behavior problems with Sky and when we do she seems to recover very quickly.  On occasion Sky has been known to act out in stressful situations but liked I mentioned earlier seems to come out of it quickly.  I think that it is extremely normal for a child to act out every once in a while, me as a parent haven’t really done much of anything about it because it is not a major issue right now.  If it were to become an issue at any time I would take Sky back to the basics of how to act in public and focus on proper manners and how to control emotions.

 

3. Has your parenting changed since the preschool period and if so, why do you think it has changed and what effect might this have on your child? Refer to your textbook or lecture notes for evidence on typical changes in parenting that occur in middle childhood.

I don’t feel that my parenting style has changed at all since Sky was in preschool, the only thing that has changed is me and my partner are know longer together.  By me stating that my parenting style hasn’t changed doesn’t mean I haven’t had to adapt to new methods of ensuring my child’s education.  That is the only example I can think of, what I mean by that is since I receive report cards about my child’s learning abilities I am able to see where Sky needs some help, so when I notice Sky is lagging in math I can change my methods on how I begin to get her interested in that particular subject.  The only example from the text that I can think of that involves my parenting ways is Erikson’s theory on Industry VS. inferiority.  The way I changed my parenting style as mentioned above goes along with industry, because I promote a positive learning environment with Sky and work on making her feel confident in skills she is lacking on.  For example as mentioned above with the math problems and according to Sky’s report card she is doing better and too me that proves that Sky is becoming confident and more proficient at math.

 

 

Assignment 7

1.How smart is your child, and in what areas? Think back to the blurb on multiple intelligences that appeared at age 6. Find specific evidence regarding your child's verbal, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence from your observations of your own child as well as the psychologist's report at age 8 years, 11 months.

Just a quick recap on Sky’s scores from age 6 are as follows she shows strengths in reading, writing, speaking, listening, social studies, and science.  Sky is average in math and problem solving, but lacking in spatial and number concepts.  At the age of 8 Sky is doing excellent in vocabulary, Sky is below average in math and for some reason doesn’t have much of an interest in it other than multiplication tables, Sky is still lacking in spatial and I have know idea how to fix that, Sky has recently become excited about music and began playing the flute, and Sky is still very outgoing and active in sports such as cheerleading but we are starting to notice that Sky is more into the social aspect of the sport rather than the athleticism. 

 2. Describe some examples of your child's behavior or thinking that you think are due to typical American gender role socialization and explain why you think so. Several examples can be found at ages 6 and 8. How closely does your attitude toward gender roles correspond to typical American attitudes, and if there is a discrepancy, to what do you attribute this (e.g., cultural background, attitudes of your own parents, etc.)?

 First of all I think it is important to explain my thoughts on “typical American gender roles”.  I was raised with a very open minded way of thinking.  My parents always promoted that it didn’t matter if you were a man or a women as long as you could do the job as well as the person standing next to you.  I very much believe in this theory however I am a strong believer that it is wrong to hire a person just to fill a quota, for example hire a man as a nurse because you don’t have too many male nurses, or hire a women to be a firefighter because you don’t have enough female employee’s.  If you can do the job then so be it, now when it comes to Sky one example that pops in my head that run along the typical gender roles is, Sky is a cheerleader and as far back as I can remember only women were cheerleaders.  Sky also plays the flute which to me screams feminine.  I thinks Sky does these two things because she feels most accepted by these activities due to gender role socialization.  When you thin cheerleader the first thing that pops in my head is cute popular girls, not buff men.  When I think of the flute I think of a soothing sound which I associate with being a female artist.  One role that Sky has taken that is a little masculine is playing sports with boys and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that either.  I believe whatever makes your child happy is the best thing for them.

 3. How might your child's development have been different if s/he was raised by people with a different socioeconomic, ethnic or cultural background? Base your answer on specific evidence of SES/cultural differences from the textbook and class lectures.

 My child’s development would have been way different for example, in German cultures the infants show considerably more avoidant attachment due to the fact that German parents encourage independence and don’t want there kids to be clingy.  That too me sounds insane, I want to be there all the time for my child and want to give my child the sense of trust and the ability to rely on me as the parent.  I know with Sky, she sometimes gets moody when I don’t show her enough attention and she relies on me a lot when she needs help.  If she was brought up in a German culture she would be much different in the above categories.  Another example is Tribal and Village culture, in this culture kids are taught little to know schooling and primarily focus on adult work and conversation.  For one Sky can’t even take care of the chores she is given at home so I think there is obviously a big difference there, another huge difference in her development would have been her education.  Right now Sky is in 3^rd grade and she is already reading at a 5^th and 6^th grade level.  If she had been brought up in a culture where school was not considered a priority, her development would be like night and day.  I believe those are a few drastic examples of how Sky’s development would be different if she was raised by another culture.

Assignment 6

1.     How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home?  Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point?  Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them?

 Sky is adapting very well in social situations right now, in the home Sky is becoming helpful and seems to be doing great, the only information I have regarding Sky outside of the home came from her report card and it had nothing but great things to say about Sky.  In school Sky has been working very cooperatively with groups, usually respects rights and property of others, usually demonstrates appropriate peer social interaction, listens attentively and follows directions, and usually follows classroom rules.  Sky seems to be doing ok with emotional issues right now, which is good because me and my partner just split up and Sky seems to be handling the situation just fine.  However Sky has had a few behavior problems that seemed to have popped up out of know where, Sky has been cheating in games lately.  I’m not too sure where she got the idea to cheat.  I think she is still a little too young to understand the morals behind cheating, Sky has know problem when it comes to knowing what is right and wrong. I truly think that Sky got the idea to cheat by simply understanding that a game is played to win and she wants to win, now that she is getting older she is becoming more and more sufficient in figuring things out.  So with that in mind I think she just figured out she can cut some corners in order to win.  Currently I am focusing on explaining to Sky that cheating is not right and if she continues to do it know one will want to participate in games with her.

 2.     Do you notice any improvements in cognitive and language skills since age 4?  Give specific examples.  Does your child have any special needs with regard to cognitive or language development at this point and what do you plan to do. 

  Sky is becoming more and more efficient in her language abilities, Sky seems to be improving every time I get a progress report regarding her speaking, reading, and writing skills.  For example Sky has been reading a lot of books ever since I can remember, whether it was me reading it too her or her being able to read it herself.  Sky is now in first grade and I made the decision to go ahead and buy her some new books that were above her reading level, and now Sky is reading books at a second grade level.  I am very proud of her, I’m hoping that all the reading she has been doing is going to pay off in the long run.  That is one example of an improvement but unfortunately I have an example of Sky needing some special attention with cognitive learning.  When Sky was 4 I got a progress report stating that Sky’s cognitive skills are lacking in the area of copying designs, solving picture puzzles and building block towers.  Since that report card Sky hasn’t really had much improvement since the report card stated that she required some additional support in the areas of spatial understanding and visual arts, which reflects the problems I stated above.  I am a little confused on how to fix this problem since I have been dealing with it for some time now, but I do have some ideas.  I plan on taking some time to sit down with sky and trying to put some puzzles together, study some picture books with certain designs, and maybe even buy a little doll house that we can put together.  By putting a doll house together it might give sky the basic understanding of looking at something and then trying to make all the pieces fit together in order for it to turn into a doll house.  Those are just some ideas that I have been thinking over but who knows if that will have the desired effect, on a good note though Sky is developmentally appropriate in math now and when she was 4 she wasn’t really up to speed in that category. 

 3.     Which aspects of your child’s behavior and personality reflect continuities from earlier behavior and which seem to be novel for this age level?

 Sky has tons of great aspects about her, she is such a fun loveable person that seems to surprise me all the time.  One of Sky’s behavior traits that has been very continuous is how sociable she is.  Sky was a little shy when she was like 2 yrs. old, but grew out of that stage and has continuously been very sociable and liked by many.  This is very good for her age level because she is now at the point where she needs to be sociable and be able to interact with others in an appropriate way, and from the information that I have gathered Sky seems to be right where she needs to be regarding her social skills and seems to be very consistent in this category.  Her social skills also seem to play a big role in her personality, Sky has been considered a leader for quite some time now.  Sky’s personality is awesome sometimes she can be a little brat but that’s to be expected.  When she was younger around 3 years old we started teaching her the difference between right and wrong, with those skills being taught Sky has the basic understanding of how to treat people.  Once again Sky is at that age where she needs to understand the appropriate way to behave when it comes to the rules and how she is to present herself while around others and with that information at hand Sky is doing well for her age when it comes to interacting with others and being able to follow rules at home and in the education setting. 

Assignment 5

1. How would you characterize your parenting style? How have your specific parenting techniques changed since infancy? In what ways do you think your parenting style, or any other aspect of your parenting, has been influenced by your cultural background or other experiences? 

I would characterize my parenting style in a few words; loveable, reasonable, trustable, and Caring.  I have a few things specific parenting techniques that have changed since Sky was an infant.  One is I have eased up a lot about the germ factor with children, when Sky was younger she was getting sick all the time and I was trying to shelter her a little so she wouldn’t get sick so often but now I am constantly trying to invite Sky’s little friends over for play time.  Another technique is hard to explain, but I just kind of go with the flow now.  I’m not really too stressed out about Sky not being able to build blocks as well as other kids, in the beginning I was very concerned about every below average grade that Sky received, but what I have come to realize is that kids learn at different paces and I have lightened up a little on hammering Sky in certain categories that she is struggling with.  Although I still want her to improve, I just approach it with less urgency.  I truly feel that I am raising Sky just as my parents raised me when I was growing up, I try to provide a loving happy home for Sky and I encourage Sky to have a lot of family time because I feel family is the most important thing in the world.  My cultural background plays part in every decision I make with Sky, I only know the things I know today because of the culture, morals, and ethics I was taught.  Sky is going to be the next generation and I want nothing more than to guide her the proper way through life, that is how cultural background has played its role in my parenting decisions. 

 2. Describe two specific examples of changes in your child’s behavior at age 4 that seem to stem from growth in cognitive and language ability since the period of infancy (e.g., improvements in symbolic thinking, reasoning, knowledge of the world, theory of mind).

One example of change Sky has encountered is the arrival of her new sister.  Sky has been having behavioral changes off and on since the new baby came, at certain points Sky is more moody, acts like an infant, talks like an infant, and is more testy.  I believe this is Sky’s way of symbolic thinking, Sky sees her little sister cry and immediately one of the parents tends to the babies need’s.  With that in mind Sky has symbolic thinking in effect, what I mean by this is sky associates crying with receiving attention, so in Sky’s mind crying symbolizes the need for attention.  The second change in Sky’s behavior is how she conducts herself while in public places.  Every time we would take Sky out for dinner she would act up in the restaurant, yet now that she is in school her report showed that she was cooperative and understood the rules.  It seems that Sky is getting a better knowledge of the world and how it works, her mind is finally grasping the concept of rules.  By Sky being able to understand rules and why they are in place, shows me that she is getting a better grasp on the knowledge of the world.  

 3. How would you characterize your child’s personality? Would you say that your child is primarily overcontrolled, undercontrolled or resilient? Support your argument.

Sky’s personality is pretty awesome, she is extremely talkative and can hold conversations well for the most part.  She helps out a lot with the new baby even though she has her moments of acting out.  She is easy going for the most part and seems to be more sociable now than she was when she was younger.  She isn’t to testy on the rules and for the most part stays out of trouble.  Sky is becoming more independent by the day and loves animals, books, and out door activities.  If I had to call Sky anything it would be resilient because she has a good attitude even when being disciplined, she seems to listen to what you have to say and then makes an effort to correct the problem.  She recovers from the situation and understands that she needs to change the way she is acting, for example when Sky acts out at sit down restaurants I would explain to her what behavior I expected and that she needed to change her attitude right away or we would be leaving, and usually she would change her behavior.  Another example of how resilient Sky is, when we had the new baby and Sky seemed to be acting out, my partner and I would spend more alone time with Sky away from the baby and with that little act Sky seemed to turn around quickly and actually start helping out with the child instead of making a difficulty situation worse by continuing to act out.

Assignment 4

1. What activities and experiences you and your child have engaged in might be promoting healthy behavioral practices and an interest in physical activity?

Well Sky seems to be very interested in outdoor activities as well as some indoor activities.  Sky likes to play with a little basketball, throw baseballs, and run around with other neighborhood children, however she seems to get bored with these activities.  Sky  really enjoys riding her tricycle around the block, so whatever activity Sky is more interested in on that particular day, we both try to accompany her and make it more enjoyable for her.  I feel it is very important for Sky to get at least an hour of physical activity a day, in order to keep her healthy and in shape.  I am excited that Sky enjoys outdoor activities.  Sky also enjoys watching educational TV, however she sometimes looses focus.  In order for Sky to get the most out of the educational programs we started recoding the shows and watching them with Sky and trying to get her more involved with the program.  I think that if we keep this strategy up then Sky will gain more interest in the programs.

 

2. Describe development of your child’s language and cognitive skills and discuss how these might be affecting his or her interactions with you & your responses.

Sky has again scored above average on her language skills, which makes my job a lot easier.  Sky seems to respond very well with verbal instructions and is learning very fast.  We are happy that Sky’s language skills are developing well, she is pretty much speaking full sentences and that makes it easier for both myself and Sky, for example when I tell Sky she needs to do something she can understand easier by knowing what I expect.  On the other hand it makes it easier for me because she can use her words and tell me what she needs, for example if she is hungry, tired, or has to go to the bathroom.  Sky’s cognitive skills are a little shaky, she gets smarter and smarter as time goes on but she lacking in the area of copying designs, solving picture puzzles, and building block towers.  This has never been one of Sky’s strong points and we seem to be having some problems in overcoming this situation.  So my plan is to involve more cognitive thinking activities in order to promote Sky’s abilities, also it will help Sky interact with us better when it comes to setting the dinner table or putting away dishes.

 

3. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them?

Sky is doing very well in social situations and I am very proud of that.  A while ago we were having problems with Sky interaction with new faces, but she has several little friends at school and is becoming a leader when it comes to activities.  I think that the persistency of having Sky adapt to new situations has finally paid off.  Sky is doing well at home for the most part as well, the only problem we have run it too is, Sky is acting more like a baby sometimes and seems to be more moody at times.  I think it is because we now have a new baby in the home and Sky might not know how to deal with the situation yet.  We are just going to continue to support her and I’m sure this is just a phase that will pass with some time.  Also when Sky is acting like a baby we are going to treat her like a baby, maybe that will help stop the behavior.

Assignment 3

1.  There has been three environmental changes that have happened to Sky and two of them have influenced her behavior as of this far.  The first change came when I lost my job and we had to downsize our apartment and move to a rougher part of town.  During this situation Sky became moody and was tougher to deal with.  Secondly Sky has just recently changed her daycare setting from an infant daycare to a toddler day care.  Sky was acting up at daycare in the beginning but after a while Sky seems to have adjusted very well.  The newest environmental change in Sky’s life is her mommy is pregnant again but, we have not told Sky yet.  We are waiting for the correct time to explain to Sky what is going on with mommy.

 2.  Sky is doing very well around the house, Sky is becoming more independent and getting good at following routine events like brushing her teeth.  Sky does still need a little encouragement and reminding for some things like taking a bath and such but, for the most part Sky is doing well.  We have not had too many problems with Sky not listening, I think it is due to the consistency of our rules and constantly enforcing them.  The only problem we are having right now is potty training Sky, I don’t really see it as a problem of not listening too us though.  Sky is lacking a little bit of self control when it comes to potty training issues but, we are going to continue to work on the problem.  Sky is pretty good with children but she does have her moments.  The only time we seem to have an issue with Sky getting along with other children is when her favorite toy is involved or another child tries to take a toy away from her.  I think it is a typical toddler reaction and it will eventually work itself out when Sky understands the meaning of sharing.

 

3.I have noticed that a lot of my parenting decision’s is grouped in with Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental theory, mainly due to this statement “children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world.”  What this means to me is that you have to let your child live their own life, it doesn’t mean you do not have to enforce any rules but you should let them explore on their own and create the world they live in through their own eyes. Piaget also talked about rewards from adults, I have not been rewarding Sky with toys and gifts but with a hug and a pat on the back, so I feel that Piaget’s way of thinking represents parts of my parenting skills.  Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory plays a big part in the way I am trying to raise Sky based on this statement “ in particular, cooperative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society-is necessary for children to acquire the ways of thinking and behaving that make up a community’s culture.”  What this theory means to me is, children need to be shown the way when young in order to function appropriately in society.  That is why when Sky throws a fit about a toy I don’t tell her to go hit the other kid who took her toy, instead I talk to her about sharing and being generous.  I think it is very important to raise our children with good morals and ethics because they are the next generation too come.  Lastly Information processing has played a major role in my parenting.  I am a firm believer that you can do anything you put you mind to, but it depends on how you break the information down and secondly how you act on the information.  In the beginning Sky was having a hard time playing hide and seek but as I persisted to play the game with her and she became better because the more times we played the better she could process the information.  The same scenario has recently presented itself with the issue of potty training Sky.  It might take a little while but the more she tries the better she will get at processing the information when her body tells her I have to go to the bathroom and she processes that information and goes potty on the toilet.  That is why I am so consistent with her so she can develop her own information processing techniques.