One of the most effective ways for me to be able to remember any concept is to apply it to my current life situations. The more relevant the concept is to me, the more I will understand and remember it. As a father of a five year old and a three year old child, I don't think anything resonated with me more than the various child development theories presented in Chapter 10. I have always enjoyed watching my children as they ponder a new concept, turning it over in their minds in an attempt to understand it. And, there is no greater feeling of pride in your children then when you see their excitement when that "aha" moment comes in and they realize that those random strings of letters actually form words. (Both are currently learning to read) I got a firsthand experience at testing out Walter Mischel's Delay-of-Gratification test with my five year old. When given the choice of a smaller less desirable snack now or a larger, tastier snack in 20 minutes when I have time to prepare it, he will usually take the instant gratification and forego the greater reward. It will be interesting to see how this changes as he grows older and is better able to weigh out the pros and cons. And with the theories in Human Development that I have learned this semester, I will be better prepared to help guide them in the right direction and develop into productive members of society.
Why do kids have to grow up so quickly?
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Oh, I'm with you on this one! Learning about children and the way they learn through this class was absolutely fascinating because, if you're around children often enough, you can see it all in action. There's nothing more satisfying that watching children discover things and make connections previously unmade.
The concept of delayed gratification takes me right back to sophomore year...
I had been conditioned by dorm life to only eat what was either laid out in front of me in the UDS troughs, or toss a packet of Ramen into the microwave (or popcorn - which not only provided for a great dinner, but also stunk up Centennial for hours!). Either choice was quick, easy and instantly (but not wholly or health...ly) gratifying.
So with all the space of my sophomore apartment, I could COOK! However, time spent making a decent meal that I would enjoy is not equal to the rush decision of burying a chinese food container or a box full of pizza.
Hopefully someday I'll learn that effort + time = higher quality. Until then, pop tarts make great breakfasts...instantly.
I agree with this post. I have nannied my whole life for the same family until I moved away for college. I babysat the two girls for eight years straight; I remember when the youngest one was born. It has been so neat to watch them grow and the way that their thinking has changed. It is very cool to go back and see them after all of these years. I have loved watching them grow up and I am excited to see them continue to grow.
This is a great post on first-hand experiences with the stages of growing up and how children change and adapt to different situations. It is always fun watching young kids progress as they get older in any aspect of their lives. I know one of my experiences with children have directly reflected what this post had to say. It is amazing to see their ability mature and there comprehensiveness and decision making form.
I love your post! I really enjoy how you are able to put your own experiences into it; that makes me so much more interested! I also think it is very interesting how, when younger, children usually choose the immediate gratification rather than the better prize that they would have to wait for. I know that I used to do this when I was younger, and how I have changed. Some people still would prefer the instant prize, however, so I guess it just depends on one's personality, just like so many other things do, which makes psychology even more intriguing!