How Children Develop Normally Theory Practice

My name is Rebecca, and I am currently a second-year student with a Bachelor of Education. My background is as a childcare worker and I have been working in childcare for five years. During that time, I have seen countless children interact with one another, as well as myself and other adult caregivers. I have also spoken with countless parents about their children, as they have provided me with feedback about what their children require from their teachers to feel supported and flourish.

Someone once described children to me as “little sponges,” constantly taking in information from their environment, processing it, and letting it shape their characters. Although children often seem to have innate tendencies, such as being shy or extroverted, or have very particular interests or passions (such as a Disney obsession or a love of playing sports), they can be highly influenced by the world around them. I have seen shy children come out of their shell when surrounded by encouraging friends, and I have also seen very outgoing students become withdrawn if they lose their self-confidence due to real or perceived rejection. Children can be very suggestive to positive or negative reinforcement. Even if they do not seem to listen, they are always taking in their environment (although it can be hard to predict what aspects of that environment have the most impact). Adults take on the role of the more knowledgeable other, providing guidance (McLeod, 2024)

I view childhood development as a dialogue between the child’s biology, psychology, and society. Biological influences include the child’s physical state (whether a child is big or small for his or her age can have a great influence on how that child interacts with others), age, and also aspects of the child’s life, such as if the child is getting enough to eat or sleeping enough. Psychology may include the child’s self-esteem, sense of security the child is given at home, and also certain innate character tendences towards optimism or pessimism or empathy with others and selfishness. Social aspects include the extent to which the environment impacts the child’s outlook, including how well the child may cope with a school environment versus a home environment. Many times, I have had a parent come to me, saying how different the child is at home versus how the child is reported to be at school.

My professional experiences have probably had the greatest impact on how I perceive childhood development. However, growing up, I also had a number of highly formative influences, including my very supportive parents, that shaped how I see the appropriate way a child should be guided into maturity. My parents set guidelines and expectations for me in terms of chores and how I was supposed to perform in school, but they also encouraged my interests and helped me gain a sense of independence. For a child to develop and achieve their greatest potential, I consider my parents to be role models in terms of the way they listened to me, treated me with respect, and were clear about why certain rules had to be obeyed. Children ultimately thrive in an environment that mixes the right balance of structure and freedom.