Child Observation One Can Learn

Child Observation

One can learn a great deal of information from observing a child. Most notably, children at play are very uninhibited - and that is something that usually changes as they get older and learn more about adult life and responsibilities. Human growth and development is a highly complex issue. It is not one that has a "one size fits all" mentality. Instead, there are all types of theories about how children grow, what they learn, what they should be exposed to at specific ages, and how to shape them into proper adults. One of the most important theories is Jean Piagets stages of development. It is the most comprehensive theory available when it comes to how children develop cognitively, and will be used here to discuss the child that was observed. According to Piagets, intelligence was a very important aid in how children adapt to their environment (Huitt & Hummel, 2003). This is not to say that children who are less intelligent cannot adapt, but only that a certain level of intelligence is needed to understand verbal and other types of cues that can make environmental adaptation easier. Conversely, children who are highly intelligent can have difficulty with adaptation in some environments because they look at the world differently (Huitt & Hummel, 2003).

With the child observed for this paper, there was some indication of that. She presented herself very directly and almost professionally, even though she appeared to be between 5 and 7 years old. She was creative and imaginative, but she was also serious and determined, and she stayed apart from the other children who were nearby. There was no sense that she could not play with them or that they would not have been interested in her company. Instead, there was a sense that she was above them in some way, and that she was not interested in getting involved in games that - for her - may have seemed childish or immature. Of course, without dialogue between her and the other children, that is only speculation. Intelligence does greatly affect how children relate to other children and adults, though, to the point that children who are of intelligence levels that are significantly below average or significantly above average are often outcasts (Huitt & Hummel, 2003). How much of this affects the child, though? Does she really have to be part of the "in crowd" to be happy? Many highly intelligent children are comfortable playing on their own, as the observed child clearly seemed to be. While the researcher was unable to hear what she was saying, there appeared to be a significant, yet quiet, conversation going on between the dolls she had brought with her to the park.

Some may feel as though a child should be encouraged and even required to play with other children. There are social constructs that are part of life, and people who do not conform to those social constructs can struggle. However, adults can certainly make the choice for themselves as to whether they want to conform. Children are often not allowed to make that choice, and are required to conform to what a parent wishes them to do and how that parent wishes them to be as a human being. How a person believes a child should be raised depends on the person and the theory of child-rearing to which he or she subscribes (Whiting, 1963). Parents, of course, will each raise their children a certain way, based on what they believe to be right and wrong. By observing a child at play, it is sometimes possible to get an idea of the parenting styles of that child's mother and/or father. For the child observed by this paper, there was the possibility that she had been the product of a particular kind of raising. Her mother was young, and sat nearby on a park bench. She was within reach, but far enough away that the child had the chance to experience some autonomy. The mother read a book, and was quiet - much like her child. Was that genetics at work, or was it a product of raising, intelligence, or something more? Again, it is all speculation.

Parents who strike a good balance between discipline and friendship generally have the most well-adjusted children, but there are exceptions to every parenting rule (Huitt & Hummel, 2003). The child being observed was not a copy of her parent, and she had her own mind, beliefs, and attitude. While she was reserved and so was her mother, it did not appear to be the product of a demand that the child play quietly. There was no appearance of a child who is afraid to make noise, or who feels she has to withdraw to avoid being seen. The little girl looked self-assured. If she was playing quietly, it was because she had no real interest in making noise, not because an adult had ingrained it into her that she was not allowed to make noise or act like a child. How much of that is based on the child's intelligence and how much is based on other factors is difficult to determine without actual interaction with the child. Observation alone is not enough to provide a comprehensive assessment.