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Prenatal Development and Birth
BIOSOCIAL
Surprise mom! You're pregnant with baby number 2 in less than a year!
BIOSOCIAL
I was born at 9:00pm in McMinnville, TN 5 weeks premature. I came home from the hospital a couple of weeks later with a serious case of colic! -
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Infancy & Toddlerhood
I don't know much about my early years and unfortunately I do not have any family members that could provide this information either. I just know that I moved around alot due to my mother's drug problem. My father has never been apart of my life. -
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Infancy & Toddlerhood BIOSOCIAL
Biological
Body doubles in height and quadruples in weight.
Neurons grow in increasingly dense connections, becoming coated with layers of myelin, and enabling faster and more efficient message transmission.
Experiences help to fine tune the brain's responses to stimulation.
Motor skills progress from simple reflexes to coordinated motor abilities, such as grasping and walking.
Sensory and perceptual abilities develop rapidly. -
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Infancy & Toddlerhood PSYCHOSOCIAL
Emotional responses change from basic reactions to more complex, self-conscious responses
Independent behaviors increase with parental encouragement around feeding, dressing, and toilet training
Parents and infants respond to each other by synchronizing their behavior
Development of secure attachment sets stage for child's increasingly independent exploration
Ability to relate to playmates emerges by end of period
Early personality traits, such as introversion and extroversion, develop -
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Infancy & Toddlerhood COGNITIVE
Basic structure of language learned through baby talk with adults
First communication emerges through crying, then cooing and babbling
Language skills progress from speaking a few words by age 1, to constructing sentences by age 2
Awareness of world progresses through immediate sensorimotor experiences to mental representations of events
Thinking includes concept of object permanence: objects still exist when out of sight or awareness
Ability to grasp conceptual categories begins -
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Early Childhood BIOSOCIAL
BIOSOCIAL
Brain attains 90% of its adult weight by age 5, developing faster than any other body part. Physical strength increases and body proportions become more adult-like. Athletic skills, such as running, jumping, and hopping, dramatically improve. Fine motors skills, such as writing and drawing, develop slowly.Gender differences in motor skills begin to emerge. -
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Early Childhood
PSYCHOSOCIAL:
I began to suck my thumb and twirl my hair almost constantly. This behavior continued through middle school.
I started kindergarten at Eastside Elementary School. I lived nearby so I enjoyed walked to school everyday. Shortly after, I moved to a different city and school to live with my mom and her new husband. It was a big change. I also acquired two step sisters and a step bother. -
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Early Childhood COGNITIVE
COGNITIVE
Use of mental representations and symbols, such as words, begins. Ideas about the world continue to be somewhat illogical. Social interactions with parents and playmates teach about the world. Language abilities develop rapidly, resulting in vocabulary and extensive grammatical knowledge by age 6. Ability to adjust communication to audience begins. Metacognition, the ability to think about thought, forms. -
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Early Childhood PSYCHOSOCIAL
PSYCHOSOCIAL
Play alone or with others becomes increasingly complex and imaginative. Increased energy fosters ability to initiate new activities, especially if child receives praise for actions. First awareness of gender roles emerge. Desire for independence and control over environment increases, making parents' supervisory role more challenging. Parenting style influences child's psychosocial development. Socialization in school encourages thinking about world outside the home. -
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Middle Childhood COGNITIVE
Ability to understand logical principle develops. Memory capacity and ability to use mnemonics expands. Metacognition, the ability to think about thought, enables organization of own learning. Use of language becomes more analytical. Proficiency in more than one language code may begin, sometimes resulting in bilingualism. -
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Middle Childhood PSYCHOSOCIAL
Peer group becomes more significant as dependence shifts to friends for help, loyalty, and sharing of mutual interests. Awareness of and involvement in outside world increases awareness of family, economic, and political conditions. Motivational systems build around achievement, competence, and affiliation. Coping strategies develop for problem solving and stress tolerance. Interpersonal strategies develop to aid in understanding others' behavior. -
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Middle Childhood
I acquired the chicken pox along with my step brother. I still have some small scars from scratching.
COGNITIVE-PSYCHOSOCIAL
I enrolled in summer softball.
PSYCHOSOCIAL
I moved back to my hometown with a family member. I enrolled in Bobby Ray Elementary School for the 2nd Grade. This was a positive move for awhile.
COGNITIVE
I really started to enjoy school around this age -
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Middle Childhood BIOLOGICAL
Brain growth slows. Physical growth slows, but slight height spurts occur. Expansion of heart and lung capacities supports more physical endurance. Athletic and fine motor skills become more refined. -
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Late Childhood COGNITIVE
Logical thought progresses to abstract thinking. Planning skills and memory strategies improve. Long-term knowledge base grows. Language skills expand to include synonyms, categories, double meanings, metaphors, humor, and complex grammatical structure. -
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Late Childhood PSYCHOSOCIAL
Changes in physique, sexuality, cognitive functioning, and society's treatment may challenge sense of self. Appreciation of connection between moral rules and social conventions strengthens. Peer groups often divide into cliques. Awareness of gender stereotypes continues to increase. Issues increase around autonomy, sibling rivalry, and separation from family. -
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Late Chilldhood BIOSOCIAL
Puberty begins with rising hormone levels. Girls’ growth spurt begins with gains in height, weight, and musculature. Gender specific physical changes appear within first year: enlargement of breasts in girls and testes in boys. In physical maturation, boys lag, on average, 2 years behind girls. Variations in onset of puberty impact personality development. -
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Late Childhood Cognitive & Psychosocial
During this time period, I returned to live with my mother in Nashville, TN. I had never lived in a large city before so this was a challneging change. Eventually, I was able to adjust and make friends. I moved schools again in the 8th grade due to rezoning changes by the city. My personality began to shape along with clothing and music preferences. Before this, I cared very little about such things. My grades still remained important to me, but I was easily distracted by friends and boys. -
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Late Childhood
My body hadn't changed much at this point. PSYCHOSOCIAL-COGNITIVE
I signed up for the school basketball team. I didnt enjoy this as much as softball. I was tall for my age so I was encouraged to try it. I moved to Nashville, TN with my mom. I changed schools again. I really struggled at this school because I had never lived in a big city before. -
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Early Adolescence PSYSCHOSOCIAL
Issues of identity emerge, potentially leading to crisis in sense of self. Sexual orientation begins to emerge. Psychological disorders and sociocultural-adaptational disorders may emerge. Strives for autonomy in relation to family continues to increase, and parent-child conflicts more likely to occur. Friendships have greater emphasis on intimacy and loyalty. Conformity to peer pressure increases. -
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Early Adolescence BIOLOGICAL
Body continues to grow in height and weight. Girls growth spurt peaks, while boys typically begin it. Motor performance gradually increases, but often levels off for girls. Girls usually start to menstruate and boys to ejaculate. -
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Early Adolescence COGNITIVE
Formal operational reasoning, the capacity for abstract, scientific thought, emerges. Thinking becomes more self-conscious, idealistic, and critical. Metacognition and self-regulation further develop. Vocabulary expands to include abstract words. Understanding and grasp of complex grammar continues to improve. Ability to grasp irony and sarcasm develops. -
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Early Adolescence Cognitive & Psychosocial & Biological
During this period, I changed schools 2 more times in 2 more counties. My mother's addiction led me to pursue foster care because I did not want to remain in her home. Emotionally this was probably one of the most challenging times in my life. My grades dropped as I became less interested in school. I worried more about fitting in and boys due to all the moving. I began menstruating around 14 but little else changed physcially, -
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Late Adolescence PSYCHOSOCIAL
Development of identity continues in relation to adult world. Cliques decline in importance. Identity achievement greatly influenced by personal factors, including family and peer relationships with family and peers, and economic and political circumstances. Increased assertiveness and lack of self-discipline often create conflicts with parents. Sexual orientation continues to develop. Introduction begins to the world and work and career planning. -
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Late Adolescence BIOLOGICAL
Boys' growth spurt peaks, and growth is mostly complete by end of this period. Boys develop deeper voices and patterns of facial hair, and typically grow taller than their female peers. Girls tend to grow wider in the hips, and breast development continues for several years. Girls’ motor performance peaks, while boys' continues to improve. -
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Late Adolescence COGNITIVE
Reasoning through problems in symbolic terms and through use of formal logic improves. Fluid intelligence, the ability to cope with new problems and situations, is reached by the end of this period. Ability to understand and integrate rules into sense of self becomes basis for character development. -
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Late Adolescence
I bought my first car and acquired my GED at 17. I worked at a small diner.
at 18, I rented my first small house. After all the moving as a child, it felt REALLY good to be in control of where I live.
At 19 I enrolled in LPN (nursing) school. I became a nursing assistant while working toward my nursing degree. I acquired a job at a local nursing home which I LOVED.
I began dating a man who would end up being my first serious, adult relationship. -
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Early Adulthood Cogntive-Bio-Psychosocial
I returned to school to obtain my RN in 2014. It been a challenging journey but I'm certain it will be worth the effort, I'm currently 27. I have two jobs (1 full time-one part time). I also have a small quilting/sewing business at home.
I hope to get married when school is complete and we are essentially debt free. At this point, I would like to have children. Eventually, I would like to maintain a career in labor/delivery nursing. -
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Early Adulthood Biological
Physical functioning increases through the 20's and peaks at about age 30, but can be maintained through exercise. Body shape changes, with gradual increases in weight and body fat and decreases in lean muscle mass. Efficiency of many organ systems begins to diminish at the rate of about 1% a year. Sexual responsiveness remains high throughout this period, with some slowing in men. Physical appearance changes; gray hair and wrinkles develop toward end of this period. -
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Early Adulthood Cognitive
Thinking may become practical and dialectical to adapt to the inconsistencies and complexities in daily experiences. Short-term memory peaks. Wisdom and expertise begin to develop. Vocabulary and knowledge continue to grow through work interactions and everyday problem-solving. -
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Early Adulthood Psychosocial
Issues of identity and intimacy peak by age 30. Need for affiliation filled by friends and often a marriage/partner. Friendships become particularly important for people who are single. Need for achievement often met through satisfactory work consistent with personality and abilities. Personality traits most likely to change up to age 30, with additional maturation continuing into the 40’s. -
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Early Adulthood Psychosocial -Bio-Cognitive
I graduated from nursing school and acquired my nursing licence shortly after. I began working at another long term care facilty in a nearby city and a private home care case for a man with ALS.
I dated here and there, but nothing really stuck until I was 24.
I moved to Michigan from Tennessee for a change of scenery I met Jeff (my current boyfriend) and couldn't be happier. We've lived together for 2 1/2 years and plan to get married at some point. I'm currently 27 years old, -
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Middle Adulthood Biological
Gradual changes continue in appearance of skin, hair, and body shape. Gradual changes occur in hearing and vision, including presbyopia, the inability to focus on near objects. Menopause begins in women. Health and potential onset of disease affected by preventive behaviors, many of which vary by social class. -
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Middle Adulthood Cognitive
Intellectual abilities dependent on speed and novelty decrease, while abilities involving knowledge about the world and vocabulary increase. Reaction time and mental processing speed slow. Short and long-term memory remain relatively stable. Cognitive abilities related to experience and intelligence flourish, leading to further formation of expertise. Maintenance of cognitive skills as well as opportunities for intellectual growth impacted by social class. -
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Middle Adulthood Psychosocial
Mid-life crisis occurs in a small minority of cases, because most men and women experience gradual transitions in sense of self and in relationship with the world. Personality traits tend to remain stable. Friendship and marriage/partnership continue as primary sources of affiliation. Marital satisfaction often rises as children move away from home. Maintenance phase in career may allow for greatest productivity at work. Experiences of facing age discrimination more likely. -
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Middle Adulthood
At this stage, my children should be entering college, The possibility of having an empty nest may stir up some emotions. Later, having grandchilden will help fill this void. As I reach retirement age my husband and and I may downsize our home. -
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Late Adulthood & Death Biological
Brain becomes physically smaller and functions more slowly. Gradual changes continue in appearance, along with weakening of the body sense organs and major body systems. Losses continue in visual and hearing abilities. Decreases in immune system and overall muscle strength put older adults at risk of chronic and acute illness. Short-term memory may decline, but active exercise of mental abilities helps to maintain functioning. Age-related changes impact sexual functioning, but not pleasure. -
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Late Adulthood & Death
Abilities to receive information, store it in memory, and organize and interpret it decline. Some short-term memory abilities declined. Aesthetic, philosophical, or spiritual interests emerge or intensify. Language abilities based on memory and processing speed decline, but overall vocabulary continues to grow. Driving-related abilities dependent on information-processing speed decrease, while skills based on experience increase. -
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Late Adulthood & Death
Retirement experience shaped by social class and gender factors, including income, health, and amount of previous planning. Abilities to cope with stress, reduce negative emotions, and manage personal relationships improve broader perspective on life. Satisfaction with life largely dependent on family involvement. Bereavement for spouse, friends, and families stressful. End-of-life care that incorporates pain management and psychological support greatly impacts well-being. -
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Late Adulthood & Death
According to the life expectancy calculator I will live to be 89. I will retire and spend my time quilting and fostering cats, I hope to be close with my family and see them often. Cognitive abilities will likely decline as I near the end of my life. Nutrition will be more difficult to maintain. I may have to endure the loss of my spouse.