EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Report
Name Katy Espich_________________________________
Due Date 11-19-2014_____________

MyVirtualChild-Middle Childhood (Age 6-11)-Report 3

General guidelines: Answer to the questions below for your report. Describe the childs
behavior and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should
relate your descriptions and explanations of the childs behavior to the concepts, theories and
research covered in class or in the book. Try to base your arguments on research studies and
conclusions, or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field. The questions are
below with scoring criteria following the questions.
1. Based on the evidence from age 6 and 8 years, how well is your child adapting to the school
social environment and to the peer group? To what extent does this adaptation seem to depend on
personality characteristics that are fairly stable in your child, and to what extent does your child
seem to be developing novel behavior to cope with these new situations? Refer to the textbook
for particular points about the responses of children in this age group to the peer group and the
school environment. (2 points)
Leighton is adapting very well to the school social environment and to the peer groups.
She gets along well with other children and is one of the most popular kids in her class. Leighton
always gets invites to other childrens homes for parties and other activities. She works well with
other children but she prefers working independently. When she has to work in a peer group
Leighton works cooperatively in groups, consistently respects rights and possessions of others,
and consistently demonstrates appropriate peer social interaction. But when she is in stressful
situations she usually calms down fairly quickly. Leighton needs to be able to deal with other
people and calm herself when she becomes upset. She is a lucky girl to have that trait. Leighton
will have trouble in school if she does not have the right personality traits. She is an outgoing girl
and gets along with her peers just like her mother. She also can work independently and does not
mind it. She ends up coping with new situations very well. She may get upset or very stress out
when she gets in new situations. As the situation goes on Leighton can calm herself down
without help. Leighton is a very smart girl and a very independent child.
2. How smart is your child, and in what areas? Refer to the summary of multiple intelligences
that appeared at age 6 and to sections of your textbook and the course reader article on multiple
intelligences. Find specific evidence regarding your child's verbal, logical mathematical, spatial,
musical and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence from your observations of your own child as well as
the psychologist's report at age 8 years, 11 months and explain how it ties in to the your course
reading material. (2 points)
Leighton is a very smart girl. She demonstrates strength in reading and writing, reading
her books as a child helps Leighton out tremendously. Leighton developmentally appropriate in
the areas of speaking and listening and in content knowledge of social studies and science.

Science is her favorite subject for now. Leighton loves to enjoy her after school program for
science. She decides to go there instead of after school daycare. She demonstrates strength in
areas of mathematical problem solving, and understanding of data and number concepts.
Leighton psychologist said that she should clearly be placed in the 7th grade math, possibly in a
gifted math program. She is also very good in math. She started blossoming in her math class
during 3rd grade because she had a really good math teacher. That math teacher teaches 3rd and 4th
grade math. This involves bi-directional influences from the child and the environment. She is
developmentally appropriate in the area of spatial understanding and visual arts. Leighton loves
to read books thanks to her mom always reading with her and to her every night. Leighton started
to read some easy rhyming books towards end of kindergarten. In first grade she really seems to
be taking off, and is reading first and even second grade books. Leighton loves playing memory
games with her father and me. She is very good at the memory game. But when it comes talking
to people about what happen in her life she cant remember what order or details the moment
happen at. As her mom I ask her questions to help her put the moment in order. When she talks to
peers she communicates in grammatically correct sentences. Even though she communicates in
grammatically correct sentences she is ok in language, but doesnt enjoy writing on her past time.
She scored average range in word reading, reading fluency, phonological awareness and spelling.
Leighton was scored on the standard deviation as info (9), vocab (10), similarities (10), and
comprehension (11). To help you out, 7 is one standard deviation below the mean, 10 is the mean
and 13 is one standard deviation above the mean. Leighton is a very intelligent child. I am so
proud of her.
3. Describe some examples of your child's behavior or thinking that you think are due to typical
American gender role socialization and explain why you think so, referring to the text and
lectures regarding gender roles and sex differences in behavior. Several examples can be found in
the Virtual Child program at ages 6 and 8. How closely does your attitude toward gender roles
correspond to typical American attitudes, and if there is a discrepancy, to what do you attribute
this (e.g., cultural background, attitudes of your own parents, etc.)? (2 points)
During physical activity at school the boys end up separating from the girls as the other
way to. When the girls are together they usually gather in a group or just one on one. This
happens naturally and normally to children. Leighton hangs out usually only with one girl. She
invites only one girl over during the weekends to have a girls night. That is also usual for girls at
that age. I feel like this is how the children grew up. The girls stay away from the boys and the
boys stay away from the girls. That is how the American way happens for children. It just
happens naturally. Leighton enjoys playing with boy things at home. I allow it and want
Leighton to know what girls and boys can do. For example a girl can be a cop just as well as a
boy. I want Leighton to realize everybody is equally and anybody can do any job. Some people
have a different thought about that but I feel that way. My parents raised me to treat everyone
right, and you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
4. Describe changes in your childs academic skills between ages 6 and 10 and assess how well
these skills are developing. If your child has any problems that affect school work, such as
dyslexia, ADHD, or low levels of verbal, mathematical/scientific or spatial ability. Describe
these problems and explain what you and the teachers are doing about them. The 5th grade report
card will be useful for this but you should also incorporate your own observations. If your child

doesnt have any academic difficulties, describe what you are doing any way to help your child
do well in math/science and literacy (reading, writing and communicating). (4 points)
Leighton only has some changes in her learning between the ages of 6 and 10. At the age
of 6 she was just okay in writing. When age 10 came around she was developmentally
appropriate for grade level in writing. She still demonstrates strength in all her academics. She
also still bounces back from stressful situations. When she became 10 she now is taking art, she
demonstrates strength in her art class. As for music class she is appropriate for that age level. As
for Leighton she still enjoys working independently. Leighton scored no unusual problems with
impulsivity, inattentiveness or hyperactivity. I am letting her make her own choice to go to after
school programs for science and math. She enjoys them both. She prefers science over math
though. I am always keeping her busy in her school work and make sure she enjoys the different
subjects in school.
5. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does
your child have any behavior or emotional problems that have become apparent between 6 and
10 years of age? (Some possibilities include internalizing and externalizing problems, ADHD,
and obesity). Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about
them? (2 points)
Throughout the course of ages 6-10 Leighton has been through a lot. At age 6 she starts
missing daddy a lot because dad has to go out of town for work. Now she is attached to mom.
She loves watching mom doing anything interesting. When mom and dad take Leighton and Lexi
out for dinner Leighton knows the routine on how to act in restaurants and only occasionally gets
rambunctious. Over the course of a year Leighton keeps wetting the bed. She gets very
embarrassed once she wets out. Hopefully she will learn not to do that anymore. When my
husband is home from work we end up arguing over stupid things. Leighton realizes this and she
becomes emotionally upset or misbehaves for a couple of hours after the argument. Leighton is a
very responsible and helpful child. I love having Leighton around the house she helps me clean
and takes care of Lexi sometimes. Leighton always watches things around here. She realizes how
other parents treat their children and notice that we are stricter with her than other parents with
their children. I feel like that will help her down the long run. Leighton will grow up to become a
mature woman. Leighton is growing so quickly she eats so much food but does not gain any
weight; she gets that trait from her mother. Another trait she gets from her mother is she is
always cheerful and in good humor. She will use humor to deal with stress or just shrugs off
lifes little upsets. At age 10 I feel like it was the hardest year for her. Dad has cut his hours down
and mom lost her job which meant they had to move. She has been struggling to concentrate in
school and lacks motivation to do homework. I feel like she will get over it and go back to her
usual self. After a couple of weeks Leighton starts doing better in school and meeting new
friends. Her sister Lexi and she now bicker with each other because they both are getting so
much older. Leighton meets a best friend at her new school and they do everything together.
Sometimes they even spat at each other. But dont we all do that once in a while. Leighton knows
that we always love her and will always be there for her. We just keep reminding her that when
we go thru hard things. Leighton will overcome anything.

6. Has your parenting changed since the preschool period and if so, why do you think it has
changed and what effect might this have on your child? Refer to your textbook or lecture notes
for evidence on typical changes in parenting that occur in middle childhood. (2 points)
I feel like my parenting has changed slightly. I am still that strict mom that lets her have
fun but she still needs to keep up on her school work. I am more willing to let her hang with her
girlfriends and do girls things without mommy around. I think me being strict with her over
behavior and school had made who she is now. She is mature for her age and is getting excellent
grades. I forgive her for the mistakes she made because the positives take over the negatives with
Leighton.
7. Has your childs personality type changed since age 4? Are there any personality traits and
abilities on which your child closely resembles you? Describe two of them. Do you think this
comes about because of a genetic resemblance (i.e., your questionnaire responses) or some
consistent practices youve followed in your parenting? For example, if you and your child are
both highly open to experience, and you took every available opportunity to explore new things
with your child, is it possible youve taught your child to be open to experience? (4 points)
Yes, my childs personality has changed. Not drastically but enough to notice. She was a
very shy girl when she was younger. Now she is growing up to meet a lot of new people and deal
with her problems on her own. She always wanted mommy and never wanted to leave her side.
Leighton loves going on school trips and join after school program. When Leighton was younger
she always relied on her parents to be there for her. Leighton is a very independent young girl.
She still comes to you when she needs you but can handle her own problems. Two personality
traits that resemble me would be she enjoys working with peers but can also work independently.
Her mother is the same way. Her mother is outgoing like she is but still loves her independent
time. Another way would be Leighton loves getting to know new people and enjoying new
experiences. She is just like her mother in so many ways. I feel like Leighton is liked me because
of the way I parent her. I was parent the same way she is being parenting. Leighton is a little me.
8. In what ways have factors from Microsystems outside the family, from the mesosystem, and
the exosystem possibly influenced your childs development at ages 6, 8 and 10? Find four
examples of such influences and make clear why you believe they should be categorized at the
particular level you chose within Bronfenbrenners model. For example, you could choose two
microsystems (e.g., classroom and peer group), one mesosystem (parent-peer relations or parent
teacher relations) and one exosystem (something affecting the parent directly but the child only
indirectly, through the parent. (4 points)
Microsystems outside the family has influenced my childs development at ages 6, 8 and
10 by she is doing very well in the class room. Leighton loves learning about math problems in
the classroom and will take after school class to get to know math better. Leighton enjoys
meeting new people thats why working in a peer group or even hanging out with peers is good
for her. She is happy when that happens. She enjoys doing girly things with her girls. She gets
along with almost anybody. Once Mesosystem would be Leighton loved her 3rd grade teacher.
Her 3rd grade teacher played a big role into her math skills. Leighton ended up blossoming so
high in math she should be in 7th grade math. One exosystem would be I am affected directly
when my husband and I end up arguing in front of the children. It affects me directly by I have to
deal with fighting with my husband and deal with my kids seeing in. Leighton is affect indirectly
by she doesnt have to fight with my husband and I she is just watching.