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Potty Training
Stella has been successfully potty trained at age of 2. Two competing ideas as to when a child should toilet train exist; Brazelton suggests that a parent be flexible and that the child should want to potty train showing that he/she is ready; Rosemond believes potty training should be done as soon as possible and in a short pd. of time. The AAP agrees with Brazelton as children have no ability to control their bladders until approx. the age of 12-18 months (p. 213). -
Attachment and Parent Types
It was brought to my attention that at Age 3 Stella has difficulty sticking to instructions, appears overly anxious and gives up easily when frustrated. Thus according to attachment, Stella may be ambivalently attached (p. 178) as she is considered shy and does not choose to explore her environment, also she is anxious per the teacher. This is likely the result of my Authoritarian style (p. 258) in the control aspect; she may be overly dependant on me. I will have to reconsider my choices. -
Identification
At the age of 6 Stella has begun to imitate me and uses phrases that I do; she also enjoys hanging around when I bake or fix things. According to the concept of "Identification" children often try to model and imitate their same sex parent in attempt to become as similar to the same sex parent as possible; and in turn the child often adopts the same sex gender parent's gender attitudes and values (p. 251). -
Math at 8 years old...grrrrr
Stella is struggling in 3rd grade math and whenever I try to help, she gets frustrated. I think I will find Stella a tutor that is versed in Vygotsky’s approach to cognitive development in that the tutor can determine Stella’s ZPD because she is just not quite able to understand her level of math just yet. Perhaps the tutor will agree to allow Stella to engage in cooperative learning where she will work with a group and perhaps “benefit from the insights of others” (Feldman, p. 300) her own age. -
It's Not Fair...Morality at 12
Stella talks quite often about what is "fair" and "not fair"; I realize she is developing some moral principles. Her concerns are focused on very specific things people she knows say and do, rather than incidents in the news or aspects of society. At this age Stella is still likely thinking in terms of “concrete, unvarying rules.” Stella appears to be in Kohlberg’s stage of preconventional morality in which she still adheres to very rigid rules (Feldman, p. 383). -
She's got skills...Coping at 14
Some of the experiences of high school are stressful for Stella. She usually shrugs these off and stays in a good mood. I noticed that she has the beginnings of some good coping mechanisms such as calming down by going for a walk or venting by text messaging a friend. Stella employs emotion-focused coping where which she chooses to look at “the bright side” and she also counts on social support when she texts her friends, she is seeking assistance and comfort from them (Feldman, 365). -
Dating...ahhh!
Stella Jane has been dating someone for 2 months now. Stella Jane says that she's in love, and you're nervous that Stella Jane may be having sex. According to Feldman, sex is on a teenager's mind much of the time. However, the age of teen's first sexual encounter is in deline. A new perception has arisen, "permissivness with affection" where which sex is viewed as permissible as long as the couple is in a loving, committed relationship (p. 427). I am still not sure I am ready! -
Popular at 17
Stella Jane has several good friends and gets invited to parties fairly often. She seems to be one of the most outgoing and popular seniors at the school. According to Feldman, teenagers whom are of the popular type tend to have more close friends, are involed in more activities including extracurricular activities and they are less lonely (p. 422). Popular children are such because they are helpful and cooperative, they're funny and find others humerous; and they're skilled in empathy (p. 335).
