Week 3: Conception through Infancy
This
week we read about the basics before conception of a child all the way to the
development of the child while going through infancy. Chapter three mostly discusses the biological
basics of a child from DNA to the actual conception process. It discusses the possible diseases and or
defects during pregnancy. This chapter
continues to discuss the stages of Prenatal Development and the factors that affect
the development. Chapters four and five
discuss the whole birthing process from the stages of labor and delivery to the
methods of childbirth to the characteristics of the newborns. Then it continues with the physical
development in infancy and possible problems.
It also discusses the different types of development like perceptual and
cognitive.
This
week’s module was very interesting for me to read. Now only did it seem to be easy to read, but
it gave a lot of important information.
I did find it difficult to find a personal connection with this reading
as I have never have had a child of mine own.
I do have a niece and nephew and have seen some of his and her
development, but not as detail as I read in these chapters. One of the behaviors that is discuss that I
do have experience with is the imitative behavior. The one thing I did not know was that
according to page 91 newborns have the ability to imitate right away. With my niece and nephew, I would always make
faces to them. I found it my duty to
teach both of them to stick their tongue out by imitating me. Even at 4 and 6 we still play that game. I found all the development readings very
intriguing. I never realize how quickly
the development is with infants. The one
thing that I really found interesting was on page 112. The visual cliff experiment was fascinating
to read about. I always knew that newborns
do not see at a distance right away, but I did not realize that his or her
depth of vision increases so quickly.
Even
though I do not have a lot of first hand experience with the conception and
infancy stage in life but found it very helpful. My fiancée and I are looking into going
through the DCFS classes and eventually adopt hopefully in the Fall. I will admit I am naïve when it comes to ins
and outs of infant development and growth so these chapters will help me when
we are finally blessed with a child after the adoption.
You are so correct to comment at the rapid rate of development in infants. Sometimes developmental milestones can occur in period of weeks. The brain is developing so quickly and with that comes a great amount of social development. The speed of it is near miraculous.
ReplyDeleteHi Corey!
ReplyDeleteI definatly agree with you that this weeks reading were very basic in their nature. I also do not have any children of my own and share your sense of understanding of the whole pregnancy through labor and early stages of development through my own niece. However I feel this weeks lesson gave us so much to think about in terms of the how and why we become who we are today that it may have a great beneficial impact in your decisions to become parents. I cannot help to see how your own biopsychosocial make up has brought you and your fiancee to this decision. Further how it will also impact you both as parents in developing your new family member when that day comes.
Hi Ashley.
DeleteI have always been good with kids and love kids and my fiancee is great with kids. The raising and development of this new child will definitely will be an adventure and learning curve for us. We were both raised in completely different types of homes. She was raised in a home that had her mom running a daycare out of the home. The use of time outs were used and were successful. Plus she has an early education degree herself. I was raised in more of a "blue collar" home. Both parents worked once my brother and I were 8 and 9. We still lived paycheck to paycheck many years. Hard work was mandatory for survival. I was on my first roof working with my brother and dad at the age of 11. Worked in a large garden years previous to that. We were never deprived of necessities, but did not have the everyday luxuries. For example, I only had one "brand new" bike growing up. The rest were either hand me downs or ones that were bought at garage sales. I started buying my own shoes with Christmas and Birthday money at 13. That was the way it was growing up, but it is what made me the person I am today. Spanking was a discipline growing up, however it was a last resort. It was definitely successful considering we only needed to get spanked a small of times to learn. My parents also used positive reinforcement as in if we were good and got our work around the house done that my dad would take it out in the country and go "ditch creek" fishing.
So I know with the two different ways of development between the two of us we will have some disagreements, but with the help of this class our child will be a well rounded, hard working, respectful kid. Which, unfortunately is going away with kids nowadays. But hey that is another soapbox for another day.
Corey, I was wondering how differently the students who have not had their own children received this weeks readings. I was never terribly interested in pregnancy's or infants until I had my own children. At that point I felt a little silly that so many fascinating things happen during pregnancy and with infants that I never took notice of. Having had three children I can tell you they are all so different and unique even in the womb. I am sure you will be fascinated with whatever child is brought into your life.
ReplyDelete.