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Birth
Healthy bouncing baby boy born at 11:29am in a hospital after 22hrs of labor. Weighs: 7.8lbs. Height: 20in. From day one, he took long naps, movements were slow, was placid, and easily soothed when agitated (rarely occurred). These behaviors are characteristic of his temperament. Temperament is the pattern of arousal and emotionality that are stable throughout a person lifetime (pp. 185). Temperament is “how” a child behaves. Joseph’s temperament will be fairly stable into adolescence. -
First Word
At 11 months old, Joseph said his first word! He looked straight at his mom and said "mama' very clearly and distinctly. A child says their first word between the ages of 10-14 months and will use the same word for many different objects or phrases (holophrases). Recognizing the first word is difficult because of the many ways to define a first word (pp. 159). After their first word, a child's vocabulary grows exponentially. Joseph will know as many as 50 to 400 words by 24 months of age. -
Separation Anxiety
At 12 months old, Joseph displayed separation anxiety when his mom was no longer in his sight and he became distressed. Separation anxiety is when a child becomes distressed when their primary care giver leaves (pp. 172). Children experience separation anxiety at 7-8mos and it peaks at 14mos. Separation anxiety is important to a child's social progress because it represents cognitive advances and a growing emotional and social bond with their caregiver. Joseph’s development is on schedule. -
Potty Training Begins
Joseph showed interest in the training toilet located in the bathroom when he was 2yrs old. He was ready for potty training because he stayed dry after naps and was uncomfortable with soiled diapers. When to start training is a controversial topic (pp.213) but we decided to wait until he was comfortable with the idea because we wanted a smooth transition from diapers to the toilet. We hope to have him trained by the time he is 36mos old, when over half of all children are potty trained (pp.213). -
Parallel Play
Joseph really enjoys daycare because he gets to play with other kids, but when he is observed playing, he is not interacting them. He plays with other kids by playing with similar toys next to another child but not interacting with them. This type of playing is called parallel play (pp.255). Joseph will go through stages of playing where he will become more interactive with other kids until he is cooperatively playing. He will reach this stage sooner because of his experience playing in daycare. -
Egocentric Thoughts
At 3yrs old, Joseph displays egocentric thoughts by talking to himself and hiding behind his hands when playing hide and seek and expecting his mom not to see him. Egocentric thought during the preoperational period is when a child does not take into account another’s point of view (pp.223). Children have a hard time understanding that others have their own thoughts and that their actions interact with others. Joseph will learn others have thoughts when he reaches preschool age (pp.256). -
Private Speech
Joseph tendency for private speech increased while playing with his toys when he was 4yrs old. Private speech is speech spoken by a child that is directed toward themselves (pp.233). Joseph is trying out new ideas when he talks to himself and uses the speech as a guide. It also facilitates his thinking, allows him to solve problems and think about the challenges he faces. We encourage private speech so he will enhance his problem solving skills and to also practice speech in general. -
Conservation
As Joseph was helping clean the dishes when he was 4.5yrs old, he was pouring water from a tall cup into a short, fat cup. He said the tall cup contained more water even though he poured the water in from the short cup. He does not yet understand the concept that a transformation in appearance does not mean there was a transformation in quantity, also known as conservation (pp.221). He will learn that appearances can be deceiving when he gets to be about 6yrs old. -
Handedness
As Joseph was writing a letter to Santa when he was 5, it became apparent that he preferred his left hand over his right. He would use both interchangeably for drawing and grabbing objects when he was younger but now established handedness. He is one of the 10% of the population who are left handed (pp.214). There’s a myth that lefties die at a younger age than righties but an article from BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23988352) said that was not so. His parents were so relieved. -
Reference for Pictures
Birth-http://www.infowars.com/ethicists-argue-killing-newborn-babies-should-be-allowed/
First Word-http://en.wikinoticia.com/lifestyle/Maternity/56403-stimulate-baby-language
Separation Anxiety-http://redcotables.com/
Potty Training-http://pottytraining-boys.net/
Parallel Play-http://galleryhip.com/parallel-play.html -
References for Pictures
Egocentric Thought-http://fabafter40.tumblr.com/post/48579207685/on-rappler-10-types-of-lousy-listeners
Private Speech-http://www.karenika.com/archives/date/2011/08
Conservation-http://www.cengage.com/resource_uploads/static_resources/0534528996/5367/concrete_operational.htm
Handedness-http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/tag/handedness/
