Friendly Environment and the Success and Development of All Children - Essay Example

For the past two centuries, researchers have put much effort into understanding children, their development, and how they communicate. The researchers learned how good communication influences children for the good. Another thing that they have discovered is that there are a number of reasons why it is necessary to communicate effectively with children. Some of these reasons are based on theory, while others are pragmatic. First, we will examine some of the common theories that exist concerning the development of children. These theories are the Attachment theory, the ecology Model, and the theory that children need to be socialized. The Attachment Theory suggests that parents and primary carers need to maintain a stable home base that the children can go out from under to explore the world, and they can return when they feel distressed. Strong bonds and warm attachments are central to stable emotional and social development of children, as they are what make up the foundation of the children, as well as shape their lives (Foley and Leverett, 2008). The ecology Model is a theory that suggests that children should be involved in all decision making, and they play an active role in social and familial groups. Their active participation is what shapes who they will become (Foley and Leverett, 2008). S Then, there is the theory that children need to be socialized; since they do not know what is best for themselves. This theory suggests that children are molded over a period of time and are taught to conform to social norms, despite any individual characteristics that need special attention. This process is gradual and accumulative, and the end result is that a child will be desirable to others in society, able to be an independent and viable citizen. These differing theories causes argument among professionals who are supposed to be responsible for the children’s care and it slows the progress of making breakthroughs (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Despite the fact there is a lot of political debate as to how children should be raised and communicated with, it is a known fact that communication begins in early infancy. Infants smile at their parents and carers, and they interact through gesturing and making vocalizations. When parents and carers pay attention to their cues, it is very easy to understand what infants are trying to communicate, as their expressions and jesters are apparent. The carers’ responsiveness to infants enables them to learn self soothing skills, which will come handy later in life, and it is vital for the development of their brains. What’s more, the love and responsiveness that infants receive from their carers teaches them how to love others, and it helps them to better understand the world around them. AS these infants grow into toddlers, they learn vital social skills, such as expressing empathy towards others, listening to what others have to say, sharing, taking turns, and playing nicely. All of this confirms that communication is vital in the first years of a child’s life. A number of circumstances could cause practitioners to have problems working with and helping the children to communicate effectively, whether the problem is with the practitioners themselves, or the problem resides with circumstances and backgrounds of the children. One of these problems arises when practitioners are prejudice of children who may be of a particular ethnicity or economical status. Such prejudices could get in the way of how they interact with and teach the children who are in their care. An example of such problems is the different treatment of children of color versus those who are white. Black children have noted that they are judged by such practitioners in that when a group of black boys assemble together, it is automatically considered to is gang related; however, when a group of white boys are together, nothing is ever thought of it, even if the group could be plotting trouble (Graham and Bruce, 2006). Then there are those who are of poor economic status. Should practitioners be judgmental of children who come from poor families, thinking them to be inferior, children will feel this hatred toward them, and the relationship between the prejudice practitioners and these children will be damaged. This damage will hinder the children’s learning, as well as their ability to communicate properly. Not to mention, these negative vibes that they will receive from these prejudice practitioners will be harmful to their self image and possibly to their development, depending on the personality of the child. Being that some children have a strong personality and are resilient in bad circumstances such as these, not all children are, hence they do not fare well. This is the reason that practitioners should not be prejudice and need to take into account all aspects, such as the economic status and the ethnicity and how these children are affected by these things (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Aside from the prejudice of some practitioners, there are other factors that affect the way children communicate. Children have all had different experiences and live under different circumstances that shape their lives. Some children get to enjoy growing up in a stable home with two parents, receiving optimal interaction, love, and tender care from the adults in their life, while there are others who grew up in foster homes, which effected their ability to form healthy attachment to adults, since foster children are frequently moved about. Other children are raised in single family homes because they either never had a father in the picture to begin with, or the family was broken up due to divorce. Then there are children who are raised in an institution. These children have unique challenges in that they are routinely ignored. Rather than their carers take their thoughts into consideration, these children are never consulted and are expected to go along with whatever is being done. As a result of not being listened to and respected, these children feel more vulnerable. They feel that nobody cares about them and that nothing they do or say matters. To make matters worse, these children have to put up with abuse at the hands of adults who are complacent about their jobs, and indifference is routine. The adults in this setting are just there to do a job, and rarely do they extend any love and compassion, which is so critical to forming healthy relationships and developing into viable citizens (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Children with disabilities have their own difficulties with communication. This could be for two reasons. One reason is that the adults fail to listen to them thinking that they are inadequate or incapable enough to express their thoughts, needs, wants, and desires despite them being able to. Adults who feel this way just do what they feel is best for these children even if the children express that they wish for circumstances to be different. These children become gravely upset, as they feel they are not valued, and they become scared, as adults will do whatever they feel the need to without first explaining to the children what is going to happen. When things are just done, these children become terrified just the same as anyone else would if something just happened without an explanation. Another reason that disabled children may have issues with communication is that their disability could effect how they communicate, as some children may have cognitive impairments that could cause them not to get their point across clearly or physical impairments that could hamper their ability to speak. When their needs are not taken into consideration, these children feel less than human, and their development and their ability to form wholesome and fruitful relationships will be severely hindered. Not to mention, their self image is ruined, as self esteem is damaged when nobody takes a personal interest. Despite the varying circumstances that effect children, and despite the many differing experiences children have had, practitioners can do a number of things to enable them to better engage in communication and learn effective communication skills that will empower them for the future. The first thing that the practitioner needs to consider is the environment where the children will be spending their time. For instance, if the environment is warm, inviting, and friendly, children will feel better about being there, and they will flourish. Also, if the environment is set up in such a way that the practitioners are on the same level as the children, the children will feel that they are approachable rather than feel as if they are lofty and distance. Not to mention, the children will be able to communicate more smoothly their thoughts, feelings, and their desires. While a loving, warm, and friendly environment is important for the success and development of all children, no matter their background, some may need the environment to be modified to meet their individual needs due to personality differences and other variables that may play a role, such as whether or not they have a disability. Some children can do well in an environed that is loud and lively, while there are others who need a more subdued setting. Children who are on the Autism spectrum may need to be placed in an environment that is not quite so loud and noisy, and there needs to be room for the children to have their own space, since Autistic children have sensory issues that need to be taken into consideration. While children who are not Autistic can handle normal interaction, touching, and being close to one another, Autistic children find such things to be troubling, and it may solicit an undesirable response. Not to mention, they may have sensitivities to loud noise, bright lights, and touching that wood otherwise occurred in child centered environments (Hewitt and Kingsley, 2005). The practitioners are responsible for taking note of the individual needs of the children under their care, and they are to see that these needs are met appropriately. The conditions that children are under also make a world of difference of whether or not they can communicate effectively. Children who are hungry, tired, or upset are less likely to communicate constructively versus those who are well rested, well fed, and happy. What’s more, if children are not feeling well, they will behave uncharacteristically. While adults can endure a little, since they understand the world and that they have to fight through what may be going around them in order to get things done, children have not yet grasp these concepts. They are more controlled by internal and external stimuli and let what is going on get the better of them. Because this is the case practitioners have the job of teaching these children, in a gentle and loving fashion, how to cope with undesirable circumstances so as to not be ruled by their emotions, as well as making sure they have the proper nourishment and sleep needed for optimal development (Foley and Leverett, 2008). When it comes to dealing with children of certain ethnicities and economic backgrounds, practitioners must be mindful of how belonging to these ethnic groups could affect their values, the view on life, and they must treat them with the same respect that the other children receive (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Children with disabilities must receive special care and attention when it comes to their communication needs. Disabled children who are able to communicate their needs should be able to do so. They should not be ignored, as they have a right to express what it is that they want. Those who are unable to use speech should be given another method that will enable them to communicate, such as sign language, a modified computer, or a picture system. Practitioners must do whatever possible to meet the communication demands of these disabled children because they are valued just the same as their peers (Brinton and Fujiki, 2006). Relationships, whether it is with adults or peers, are also an important in shaping the children. These relationships teach them good communication skills, as they learn how to properly interact with others. Practitioners are responsible for seeing that children learn how to develop these relationships, and they are to keep down the bullying. Bullying is responsible for the ruin of many children, as it has caused mental breakdown and even suicide. It is the job of the practitioners to help children deal with the bullying, effectively express their feelings about what is occurring, as well as enforce antibullying rules (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Another thing that practitioners can do to help the children to build stable and healthy relationships is to form a partnership with everyone involve. For instance, if the family is having trouble, social service workers, children, and parents should be equally involved in finding a solution. The social service worker, who in this case would be a practitioner that works with children, should not make the parents feel powerless. They job is not to make the family feel inferior. Their job is to keep the bonds strong and make everyone feel empowered (Foley and Leverett, 2008). Children always benefit from good communication. They feel empowered, strong, and they are better equipped to deal with conflicts that may arise. Good communication also enables children to develop into mature and independent adults. It shapes the future, as the children hold the keys to what is to come. Work Cited Brinton, Bonnie. Fujiki, Martin. (2006) Social Intervention for Children with Language Impairment: Factors Affecting Efficacy. Quarterly, Vol. 28. Graham, Mekada. Bruce, Emily (2006) "Seen and Not Heard" Sociological Approaches to Childhood: Black Children, Agency and Implications for Child Welfare of Sociology & Social Welfare, Vol. 33. Hewitt, Sally. Kingsley, Jessica (2005) Specialist Support Approaches to Autism Spectrum Disorder Students in Mainstream Settings, Foley, P. and Leverett, S. (eds) (2008) Connecting with Children, developing working relationships, The Policy Press, Bristol & The Open University, Milton Keynes. Course Reader for KE312 Working together for children Read More