I rise my nephew, Maud is now six year old, and last week was his six year birthday. Maud is in kindergarten, he is tending west high elementary school. My child characteristic Easy, Cheerful, adaptable and active. My parenting techniques changes, as Maud’s needs varied with every age. I tried to be understanding about his moods, sensitivity, his r abilities, and do my best to let him have his own preferences of making decision, and problem solving. I lived with Maud parents, since he was on his mother worm. I took a big role of rise Maud, we use live in same room for first three year of his life.
Since Maud become part of my live my parenting style was different from my parents and other my parents in the community I have lived, I truly believed it is so important for a child to have preferences and choices, and have some independence. I am coming from a culture, where parents don’t give the children preferences, making choices I want Maud to learning how make his own choices , independences and problem solving skills in his early childhood , so he able to use this skill when get older. Maud is growing health, and he is developmental stages are typical for his age group.
Part 1: Initial ideas about parenting How a parent raises their child can affect the child later on in life. Before Maud was born I believed that raising a child is very difficult thing that I can do in this word. I was very exciting to meet him yet I was ready to take that responsibility. Before Maud was born I started reading book about child development to help and guide me and his parents to give best care. Vygotsky’s perspective, known as sociocultural theory, focuses on how culture—the values, beliefs, customs, and skills of a social group—is transmitted to the next generation (Berk, 2012, p. 254).
I am a strong believer that socializing and making sure your child interacts with as many people as possibly helps them to develop. In terms of building culture, the connection made between the parents, close family and the child is important in carrying on traditions and learning morals and values of that family. I look at how my parents rise and the beautiful culture that I was raised in, and want Maud to get the opportunity to learn the values his culture. I early infancy until he was two year old I was only spoke in Somali language , also read Somali book, tell him old Somali stories for child.
Now he able to speak influent in Somali and beginning to sing and telling stories. Additionally, my parenting philosophy was to be encouraging and supportive but not to be overbearing and overprotective of the child. I want Maud to feel attached to me and have a good bond, but I also want them to feel secure enough to explore and be independent as I think this is an important life skill for any child to develop early age. I have never liked it when parents would caudal their children when they would make a big fuss about something or if they were really attached to the parent and crying.
I believe it is so important for a child to have preferences and choices, and have some independence. I am come from a home, where my parents their children preferences, and choices making to become independent and also support us to be the chill. I want Maud to learning how make his own choices, to independences and problem solving skills in his early childhood, so he able to use this skill when got older. As Maud was Growing up I express warmth and affection, listen to his point of view, and provide opportunities for Independence. Also we had set rules at home and teach him each rules and why it’s important.
My parenting techniques changes, as Maud’s needs varied with every age. I tried to be understanding about his moods, sensitivity, his abilities, and do my best to let him have his own preferences of making decision, and problem solving. Maud and I lived same house the day he was born till him three years old I was there to support all his developmental domains stage and give the best sensitivity caregiver and became his preschool teacher when three and half. In addition ,his toddlerhood year While playing with a group of children, Maud was quiet and shy at first, but he would spent a few minutes watching other kids play before he joined in.
She was not aggressive, but sometimes would say “Mine! ” when other kids wanted to play with her toy. However Maud gradually learns to better get along with other children by smiling at them and giving up the toy. Vygotsky believed that complex mental activities, such as “voluntary attention, deliberate memory, categorization, and problem solving, have their origins in social interaction”. Rough joint activities with more mature members of their society, children master activities and think in ways that have meaning in their culture. (Berk, 2012, p. 254).
Vygotsky’s theory applies to my practices in a way that I allow Maud to interact with different people, as he is very social and he desires to be with people. I would take to places kids play, my friend’s house his grandparents’ house to get opportunities to engage in and interacting with children and adult. I think the opportunity of interaction and being social, combined with his own temperament influence greatly how easily and smoothly. When he was two years the he was unusually cooperative with others for a child his age and also engage play older cousin.
He was find fine sharing the toy or starts playing with another toy so the other child have. Maud was able to grow socially and cooperative play. Furthermore I truly believe In order to raise a child their parents or adult have many ways to help the child to develop self-esteem and feel loved, value and trust. Bowlby and Ainsworth’s work describe the stages of attachment and how the development of secure attachment increases the survival for a baby. Secure attachment can be identified by a baby that “May or may not cry when the mother leaves, but when she returns, the baby wants to be with her and if the baby is crying it stops. (Berk, 2012, p. 273)
In terms of Maud s development he was secure attachment stage during his infancy and toddlerhood. He was very attached to all of his primary caregivers just s his grandmother, mother, father and I. My family and friends would told me that it was clear that Maud had a strong and secure attachment bond with me During infancy Maud and I make good connection bond , he was at same room as I was every night until age of three. Every night I would awake up for him to feed , change , and confront him, some of night when was awake I would told him stories that my parents use to told my young and sing his favorite songs.
Now that he is Maud is years old he came to my house on weekend and he like to sleep same as I and he would ask to sing for him and told him stories and pretend play with him. The importance of this attachment is that many of the theorists believe that it provides the basis for all other relationships for the child. A child that has securely attached can feel more comfortable exploring, socializing and experimenting as they know they have their caregiver there to look out for them. Part 2: Temperament characteristics of your child
I believe Maud’s temperament has not changed over the last 6 years. During his infancy Maud was “easy child” he established regular routines of his sleep, he also cheerful, and adapts easily to new experiences,” (Berk, 2012, p. 254). This was especially event when he hungry or need a diaper change he would get upset and cry a lot once you feed or change him he will calmed down quickly and he will start playing with his toys and babbling . Facilitating a good fit was fairly easy as my nephew Maud as an easy temperament.
I created him a schedule that I wrote down when I feed him, changed, the times of his activities and nap times. When he is going to daycare or he stay with his grandmother is watching I also create chart similar to the one we have at home so it would be a consists for him . the schedule was really and great experiences for us during infancy year and we did not had problem to meet Maud’s needs . Additionally, when some new that he does not know came to our house and to play with him, Maud would smile and baby talk and played with them.
On the other hand , when we visited friend’s house , at first Maud would look around and he will be quite and cried sometimes ; however after while he would quickly by starting play and interact with other children in the house Part 3: A challenge The most challenge time we face was when baby Manal was born. “The arrival of a new baby is a di cult experience for most preschoolers, who—realizing that they must now share their parents’ attention and an action—o en become demanding, clingy, deliberately naughty, and less a ec- tionate with their parents for a time. (Berk, 2012, p. 273).
Maud was excited about the birth of Manal, he could her to come out and played with her and to teach her game that he plays. When Maud was 2 years old his younger sister Manal was born. After birth and bring her to home, immediately he started showing express negative emotion toward to the new baby. His behavior became Aggressive that was cause physical and emotional harm to himself and the baby. Whenever he sees his mom playing and singing for her, he would slap, bit and throw toys at her.
I realized that I need to change my parenting style again, and make plan to be sensitive caregiving to both children. I started spend extra time with Maud to help adjust to his new daily life and we created a plan to help his emotion behavior. I started to give him undivided attention and to Show him that the baby doesn’t always come first. For two week I set special time for Maud the that , I was spending one-on-one every day to Adjust Being an Older Sibling. I also, created daily schedule in different activities throughout the day. When I am feeding Manal I would tell him to bring his baby doll and feed him.
Every day I discuss him about his baby and how she need both of us to help her needs to promote friendly toward to his sister. Every night I would reading book about big brother, and big sister, also tell him stories about his father how use to fad, sing song , played and loved me when I was born. After couple weeks Maud I notices that he showing great improvement with his aggressive and jealous behavior. He would take his doll and sit next to play to read a book for both them, when he heard she crying would get the bottle and want to feed her or he would call some to give her the milk.