When I think of Child Development

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Racism is something that is still going strong around the world, and something that I'm not sure will ever go away. Being an African American in America right now is a thought that is constantly on my mind, knowing that it is running rampant on the streets. Knowing that I have family members that i adore, and knowing that there are things being done that may hurt them. Even though none of these things are new, it is still shocking to see when you grow up hearing that we are living in a "new" day and age. My grandmother grew up in the 1940's in the south, and has told me millions of stories of her racist encounters over the years. She spoke to me about going to segregated schools, and when she went to a integrated school for the first time, a lot of the white parents pulled their children from the school. She told me about how she was called the "N-word" and was spit on and made fun of for her skin color. She told me tales of how tough she needed to be as a child to withstand the judgement that you receive daily, even as a small child from an adult. How she had to let everything roll of her shoulders like water, as to not cry from the hatred she was being shown. Weakness, back then, could not be shown, or it could mean the end of your life.  I have never had to experience those things in my life, but I know that they still happen, and not always behind closed doors. Racism is one of he most touchy subjects right now I believe, because some people would rather act as though it doesn't exist than to face it head on and try and get rid of it. I am an African American women, who is married to a Caucasian man, and we have received looks and comments that have shocked both of us in the 21st century, so I know that racism is alive and well.

The country that I decided to study was India. From what I have read, India is having a huge racism problem with their citizens. Indian people in India, have previously shown that they do not particularly care for people who are not of their own race, or that have darker skin than them. In 2016, a 29 year old Congolese French Language teacher was killed in an attack against African people. An slur that people of darker skin are being called is "bandar" which means "monkey." The Indian Foreign Minister Tweeted that a "sensitisation Programme" would be launched to prevent "such incidents against foreign nationals (that) embarrass this country." I would say that growing up hating anyone that is darker than you would have a very negative impact on a child's development. Of course I am sure that not everyone in that country raises their children that way, but for the ones who do, the emotional trauma that would have on a small child would be devastating. There would be certain children that you wouldn't play with at school because of their skin color, and for no real reason than their skin color. I do not believe that you are born with hatred in your heart, I believe that it is taught, and I believe that it goes against everything that we have been put on this earth for. I don't think that hate comes naturally to people, so forcing a child to hate certain people, would confuse and hurt them. Especially because they will not have a deep enough understanding on the matter at hand. Racism is something that I believe that we will be fighting until the end, all we can do is try and raise our children to love one another, and hope that someday the hate will die out.

Resources:

The National. (2016.)  Racism is a clear and deadly reality in India. 
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/racism-is-a-clear-and-deadly-reality-in-india

Child Development and Public Health

The public health topic that I chose this week is having access to healthy water. The reason that I chose this topic is because I believe in the importance of having access to healthy drinking water. Without the access to healthy drinking water, you can be exposed to many different diseases that can cause serious illness and even death. Being able to have access to clean water is vital, I think, in the development of a child, and even an adult. I think that some people in America take having clean drinking water for granted. They expect to be able to turn on the faucet and clean water comes out, or to be able to go to the store and buy bottled water, or to be able to use a toilet, or have a nice shower. Not everyone has those luxuries, even some people in America don't have those luxuries.

While reading an article by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), I learned that "1.7 Billion people in Asia and the Pacific have no access to modern sanitation." This was an astounding number to me when I first read it, and then learned that 780 million people still practice open defecation, which pollutes the water supply and is the "second leading cause of infant and child deaths worldwide," according to ADB. Many people who live in urban areas have to travel long distances to get water from an already contaminated drinking source, or to the stores to buy bottled water. Unclean drinking water allows different sources of germs to contaminate the people living in the areas with this water, such as the breeding of diseased mosquito, or getting a disease like Salmonella, which is transferred through feces. This hinders the health and well-being of the people in the area and their children.

While reading this article I learned some of the things that people are going through in another country, just from trying to have access to clean drinking water, something that I take for granted daily. I plan on trying to raise awareness with people in my area, and see how many people really know and understand about this issue. I think unless you experience it first hand or read about it, this is not an issue that most people think of others having. I was glad that I was able to experience this lesson, and truly learn something about people in another area.


Resources:
Asian Development Bank. (2014, January 7,) Water, Sanitation and hygiene for a Healthy Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved from:
https://www.adb.org/features/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-healthy-asia-and-pacific

Childbirth in your life and around the world

A personal birthing experience for me would be the birth of my best friends daughter Aurora. When my friend Ariele went into labor, I rushed to the hospital with my husband and we waited in anticipation. I have know Ariele for 10 years, so I was very excited! She had planned on having a natural birth, no epidural, or medications. She was in labor over night, so my husband and I rented a hotel room since we live out of town. at 5 in the morning she had to have a C-section, because while pushing, she was told that her birth canal was too narrow for her daughter to fit through. When we were able to see them both, she expressed her disappointment that her birth plan didn't go the way that she wanted, but was happy for a healthy baby girl! I chose this example because it has been a year now, I am now pregnant and have my own birth plan that I would like to follow. But this example always reminds me that it may not go the way that I have planned, and if it doesn't, then that is okay too. I know that there are different ways to have a baby, naturally, with medication, water births, or a c-section, but each way just makes the experience unique and doesn't diminish anyone's motherhood.

In Chin, I have learned that 50% of women have a c-section birth over a vaginal birth, and most who have a vaginal birth have an epidural. Most doctors actually push for the women to have c-sections because it is faster, since China is a over populated area. They can do "10 or 12 c-sections in a day compared to perhaps 2 or 3 vaginal births," says MK one of the best-qualified midwives in China, according to "The Telegraph newspaper." She also says that there is a belief among Chinese families that c-section is a low-risk option, and they believe it is a better option when parents can only have one.

The differences in China verses what my friend experienced is that most Chinese women want to have a c-section, while my friend wanted a natural birth. No matter what kind of birth that you chose, you do whatever you think is right for you and your baby. I think childbirth is beautiful, no matter how you do it.


Resources

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/9796499/Why-50-per-cent-of-Chinese-women-are-opting-for-C-sections.html

A Note of Thanks and Support

During the weeks of being in this class I have learned a lot. Like how to respond to my peers and how to expand on different conversations. This is my first class in my journey to get my Masters, and it has been tough, with learning how to juggle being a student, a teacher, and a wife. I am still learning, and I know that I am not alone.

LaQuesha, you commented on my discussion board answers a few times, but during week 8 you told me that you have to read other people's posts to make sure you were on the right track. That statement meant a lot to me, because I have to do it as well, and knowing that someone else learns the same way I do, helped me to know that I'm not alone, and that I can continue!

Jeannie, it meant a lot to me that you said that I was already a good teacher, because I don't always feel that way! Thank you for seeing that in me, even when I don't always see it! You always have positive things to say, and it means a lot.

Examining Codes of Ethics

Three ideas out of the NAEYC Code of ethics that is meaningful to me are:

• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
 • Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust and respect
• Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family

The reason being, is that I think it is very important to know and understand that children's family lives have a large impact on how they learn. Understanding the child's culture and their beliefs is a must because if you do not, then you could potentially lose the trust of the families, and the child. If you do not have the trust of the families or the children, then they will not be open to learning from you or they will not want you to teach their child.  You must know and respect the bond between the child and their family, and try to show them that you care and that will open up doors for you while you teach their child.

Three ideas out of the DEC Code of ethics that are meaningful to me are:

Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

• We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that enhance the quality of their lives.

Responsive Family Centered Practices

• We shall empower families with information and resources so that they are informed consumers of services for their children.
• We shall be responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families we serve by protecting all forms of verbal, written, and electronic communication.

The reason that these are important to me is because I believe in trust between the families and the teacher, I think that if the family trusts the teacher than it will be easier for the teacher to teach and easier for the child to learn. If you show that you are supporting the family, not only will it benefit the child, but it will benefit the relationship that you have with the family, which ultimately benefits the child. It is important to make sure that all families, including families with children with disabilities, are being helped, and that you are being their advocate. We want to make sure that all families understand the services that they can receive and that they are all well informed.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources that may help provide information for families, and teachers.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/children/resources.htm

The Family Conservancy
http://www.thefamilyconservancy.org/parenting-resources-information?gclid=Cj0KEQjwlNy8BRC676-W0JezxbwBEiQA4Ydg0TZjQUWEHeYN1gp3RSq5JOabM2HbSygzYakzcjqPF2saAgAG8P8HAQ

Early childhood Transitions for children and families Birth-five
http://edn.ne.gov/cms/early-childhood-transitions-children-and-families-birth-age-five