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Since I was raised with care and my basic needs were satisfied, I developed a sense of trust with my mother and family.
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I learned to imitate facial expressions during this stage, such as smiling because mom smiled. On top of facial expressions, I could mimic certain movements, like waving hello/goodbye.
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At this age, moral development was not yet possible outside of what feels right and wrong, i.e feeling hungry being 'wrong' because of the stomach pains, or being snuggled feeling 'right' since it is comforting.
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I began to realize that other people have wants and needs like me, and experience feelings. I didn't have a full grasp of other people’s feelings, but I knew that I loved seeing people smile. I would try my best to make mom smile.
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During this period of time, I started to become more autonomous, testing my boundaries. I began to learn about 'rules', which was difficult because it went against my autonomy. Though I was a decent listener, I would still do things I was told not to do.
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I began to develop an understanding of 'cause and effect'. If I do not walk, then mommy will carry me! It took me a while to fully learn how to walk, since I gave up when I realized it was so much nicer to just be carried. Also, around this time, I learned some basic sign language and how to read. I memorized Click Clack Moo when I was around two to three years old. I loved to read that to my family,
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I learned that it was important to be kind and respectful to others, since treating others unfairly would hurt their feelings. 'My actions will affect others, either positively or negatively.'
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I was very attached to my family, and enjoyed talking with my teachers and fellow peers. I wanted to make other people happy, and whenever I saw someone look down, I wanted to help them. I would show concern for people who hurt themselves at school. Whenever someone got hurt (i.e. getting a scrape from the blacktop), my solution was a wet paper towel and 'sprinkling it with magic'. It worked, I swear.
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This time period was when my creativity truly sparked. I enjoyed playing dress-up and doing silly things, like 'owning a restaurant' (playing with fake food), 'house', and various other imagination games. I loved drawing pictures and making crafts, and constantly was covered in glue or marker. Reading was also a passion of mine. Poetry was my favorite; Shel Silverstein being one of my favorite poets. I loved to read Shel Silverstein to my classmates during show-and-tell.
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This time period was when I began to work more dilligently towards getting good grades, since school became harder. I would do very well, and as a result, received praise from my teachers, peers, and family. Doing well in school made me feel confident in my abilities, and the praise motivated me to do even better.
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My love for learning flourished in elementary school, where I began to excel in every area. Though I didn't like math, I excelled in that class, and was put in advanced math. I could read on a fairly high reading level, and stayed an A honor roll student. I also learned about time, space, and similar concepts.
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Throughout this age, I followed rules out of fear of punishment. I was scared of being yelled at or getting my priveleges taken, so to avoid that, I took care of what I needed to.
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Though I never exactly conformed to others for approval, I wanted everyone to like me (or at least have nothing bad to say), so I made sure to be a good person.
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My ability to think more complexly was greatly enhanced. I was able to do more abstract thinking and look at many different perspectives.
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For the longest time, I felt I didn't have a solid identity. There's a line from Avatar the Last Airbender that resonated with me "...it's time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big question: who are you and what do YOU want?" I finally established what I planned to do for the future, and started working towards becoming someone who I could be fully proud of.
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Though the concept of following laws was always important, it became even more important during this time. The basic rights of human beings and the importance of following my moral conscience was important, as well.
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At this time, though focused on working towards my goals, I desired close friendships. By putting myself out there, I managed to make some really great friends, and became satisfied.
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I furthered my understanding of the complexities of life and used it to help solve real world problems. My cognitive development hit its peak.
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My moral development has reached a plateau. I have started to focus more on the importance of family and giving back to the community,
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Through my work and through involvement in volunteering opportunities, I managed to find a sense of contribution. Though work was always a large priority, family and friends were even more important.
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Though most brain functions were declining at this point, my problem solving skills were still solid. My long term memory was shot, and I finally became an old person.
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My morals have hit its peak.
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After taking a general look at my life, I was happy. I travelled the world with my best friend, bought a house and some plants with them, became the best psychiatrist in the world, saw Lana del Rey in concert twice, and created a lot of memories. There isn't much to be disappointed about, other than the fact that I didn't get to meet aliens.
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My brain became a metaphorical puddle. Things would always disappear because I would forget where they would go no sooner did I put them down. Bed time was at 6 because I would get so exhausted from sitting all day. Some emotionally strong memories stuck with me, but smaller memories were gone. Anything I learned in elementary and middle school were probably dust. The only things I knew at this point were breathing, and fine dining.
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