Human Growth and Development

As an infant, most, if not all of my physical milestones that were expected we met.
Breastfed for a short period, my height and weight growth expectations were met
and I was well nourished. Gross motor skills were gained, to include things such as
crawling and walking at an earlier than average age; 5 months and 8 months
respectively. Fine motor skills were integrated into my physical development at
normal stages and contribute to my great coordination today as an adult. Often I
was described as an advanced infant/ toddler in reaching developmental
milestones. This suggests constant use of adaptation through processes of
assimilation and accommodation. While Im sure parents and other relatives are
bias and have reason to boast, even today I tend to be extremely analytical. Being
active in exploration at this young age lead to the opportunities for the before
mentioned conception of adaptation.

In addition, to what I believed is my innate ability, environmental factors from

home and daycare living also played a valuable role in my development. Supportive
individuals are key in shaping even infants and toddlers. Having both parents in the
household allowed me to benefit from additional support of two parents. Moreover,
grandparents and extended relatives. These individuals provided me with a safe
and appropriate environment for my inquisitive mind, teaching self-acceptance.
Talking, comprehension and development of language are normal.

Considered a shy child, I avoided new stimuli at first and was slow to warm up. My
relationship with my parents may be described as a secure attachment. I became
empathetic and sensitive to others emotions early on, a trait that continued with me
throughout my life. Secure attachment as an infant set a foundation for further
growth and development as a young child. I exuded confidence self, due a strong
sense of support. As a toddler, my struggle with development of self-control
emerged causing frustration to my parents that also carried over into other stages
of development. A need for immediate gratification and noncompliance define this
idea.

As I entered early childhood, physical development continued as normal. It was

discovered that I was in the small percentage of left handers. Gross and fine motor
skills improve to now being able to run, jump, catch and throw, as well as dress
myself, feed myself and more complex drawing. Lessons provided in dance
strengthen these coordination skills. During this preoperational stage my creative
mind picked up and make believe play became a favorite past time. Improving
emotional understanding as well as language and knowledge of everyday concepts.

Often playing both individually and alongside peers, pretending to have a house and
family, or being a doctor improved my social skills and even developed an idea of
my proposed role in society. My struggle with potty training in the previous stage
and bladder control issues introduced feelings of shame and guilt intensely. My first
inklings of possible low self-esteem and self-worth. My belief of some psychological
malfunction caused these bladder control issues through tile adolescence. On top
of my already shy temperament and lack of self-control, my behavior confirmed to
cause my parents further confusion. I was introduced to psychological evaluation
was suggested to demonstrate symptoms of not only behavior issues but
depression as well.

Still considered well advanced, development in memory, attention, and problem

solving blossom. Support and encouragement at home and school probed me to
explore and experience different. Strategies and ways of thinking, leading to a
desire to learn and soak up much information. A love for story time developed a
strong vocabulary and love for language and expression through words. As a young
child my room was filled with books and I never went a day without reading them.
This turned into reading any and everything including cereal boxes and even, along
with creative writing. All these things sharpen the brain. Music and television were
monitored strictly all the way through my adolescence, which proved to be valuable
in filtering certain negative images and words, deterring some negative thoughts
and behaviors. At times however, I remember feeling a disconnect with my peers
who were mostly allowed to enjoy and soak in the unfiltered media, starting at a
young age in early childhood, while I was only to watch Sesame Street and play
educational computer games.

Advanced in public school environments, my parents introduced me to Montessori

schooling. My development sky rocketed all around as I learned in a hand on space
conducive to learning information academically and socially. This supports the idea
higher learning provides benefits into adulthood as I now consider myself well on
my way to success. The eager to learn exhibited in this stage and the shame and
guilt surrounding bladder control introduce the battle of shame versus guilt.

Self-understanding emerges as I begin to see the me-self with unique qualities

such as short hair and skinny legs who was inhibited and extra smart. Still yet there
was a struggle with self-control, compliance and self-esteem. During this period my
1st sibling was born and I now struggle with feeling of jealousy and increased low
self-esteem. The feeling of a loss of parental support and attention increased
outbursts. Feelings that my sister was the golden child continue to this day. I still
find myself secretly desiring my parents acceptance and attention, along with
others such as husband and friends. Self-regulation is still a slowing development
at this point. A child with high anxieties, I was afraid to attend school or other
public places. This issue with self-regulation better explains my reason for intense

feelings and relating to others emotions as if there my own. A trait I also still
possess today. At times I contribute my emotional developmental struggle to my
mom who suffered from depression and anxiety after my birth. Since infants often
imitate, I possible picked of these traits then. Her inability at this stage to help me
regulate through effective discipline can also explain this behavior. I found
aggressing to be increasing towards others and myself. It was a cycle at this point
as my frustrated parents became more desperate and more forceful and physical
with punishment. In response rebellion was born. Though I believe my parents
attempted authoritative parenting, it at times came across as authoritarian.

Physical development continued to develop. Bedwetting and bladder control issues

continue to be evident. Though different drugs and techniques were implemented
to regain control, the problem remained, and so did my insecurities around the
problem. Anxieties kept me from enjoying outings and sleep overs with friend.
Gross and fine mother skills continued to develop as well. During middle childhood
recess was still apart of school curriculum. These times definitely helped develop
social skills as well as cognitive. I would agree that through recess children are
more eager to learn and develop as I was. Playing with friends and being athletic
helped improve my low self-esteem. At this time the concrete operational stage is
emerging. Cognition increases as mental thought developed. Attention developed
for me normally and became more focused, along with memory/retention. I scored
high on standardized testing demonstrating these abilities. Language development
improved as normal and vocabulary continued to expand. Again Montessori
schooling environments provided individual attention and my learning continued to
increase rapidly. I also began to feel pressures from family to perform and be
successful. I comply with Eriksons theory on industry versus inferiority. While
important to have familial support it also caused pressures to please and produce.
Though self-esteem is expected to rise I still at this point continued to struggle with
this. Learned helplessness began to reveal itself in me, by the questioning of my
abilities to perform and be successful. I credit the reason for continuing to not give
up and have sense of self-esteem to being an active child participating in different
sports, dance and even girl scouts. With my day now traveling a lot I began to
equate my family to a single parent home. I was not a popular child and began to
feel rejected and neglected. I learned my expected role as a female in that I was
supposed to do feminine things such as play the flute and dance. My tomboyish
was fully dissipated at this stage.

Entering adolescence my physical development is still normal. My breast began to

develop and my menstrual cycle began as I entered puberty. Thrill seeking and
pleasure seeking from early childhood now clearly evident in my life as I began to
become more curious, reading adult novels and watching movies I wasnt allowed to
watch. Sleeping became extremely important. I began to need more hours of
sleep. I am not sure if this was related to growth and development or the
depression I was experiencing. Even with eight to nine hours of sleep I was still

feeling sleep deprived. Moodiness and conflict with my parents rose. Hitting
puberty around the age of 10 caused me to become even more uncomfortable with
myself and ashamed. Interest in boys and sex naturally manifested. Receiving
little information from my parent s I had my first experience with the opposite sex at
15 years of age. Research supports the idea that this correlates to early puberty in
females and peers that were already sexually active. At this young and tender age I
and esteem and self-worth decreased. My depression increased and I was
diagnosed with bipolar disorder, due to moodiness and impulsivity among other
things. I became more experimental even trying smoking and drinking by 16 years
of age. A strained parent child relationship increased rebellion and seeking of
acceptance from other social arenas. My inability to think things through and
acknowledge consequences was often.

However despite these struggles I continued to have a desire to develop and learn.
In this formal operational stage my reasoning continued to improve producing
winning school fair projects. Attention and memory strategies became more
complex and improved regularly. Self-regulation still remains even into emerging
adult hood. The concept of imaginary audience and personal fable became very
real to be as I was completely absorbed with self. Everybody watched me and
nobody understood me was my way of thinking. I now know this to be common
among adolescence. As an emerging adult I became more understand and willing
to accept the unique and individual me. Language and vocabulary improved as
normal. Ideas about quality of life and occupation became constant.

Create a free website