Select a child whose age is 0 to 12 Observe the child from 30-60 minutes - Essay Example

CHILDHOOD YEARS: AGES SIX THROUGH TWELVE Following an interactive talk with one of the parents who was accompanied by a 12-year- old son, it was a wonderful experience to discuss and explore the growth and development aspects of the child. This serves as a general characteristic across same age group or cohort. It is important to note that growth and development are two different concepts. Growth in respect of the 12-year-old is measure of the body size increment in height and girth while development has to do with mental, psychological and cognitive ability of the child as he/she gains years and interacts with various social environments (Newman & Newman, 2009).

This boy seems to have developed some observable increased weight and marginal budding of puberty characteristics which include developing muscle. This biological aspect is very consistent with approach towards adolescence as seen on this boy. It was also quite conspicuous that the social life of this boy has begun to gain complexity momentum. It was noted from an interview on the boy that his world has expanded outward from the family with relationships which are developed with acquaintances, teachers, trainers and others.

From his inquisitive and anxiety it was evident that this boy’s experiences are increasing and this is influenced also by their well off socio-economic status of their family. Psychosocial development of Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. In the context of this boy whose age fall between 6-12 years, there are some stages that were quite observable. It is important to underline that on the basis of this theory, individuals experience conflict within that marks the transition in phases of growth (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010).

The boy in this case exhibited Psychosocial Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion: It was evident that he is approaching adolescence where people explore their independence and develop a sense of self. Some of the outstanding attributes observable was a conflict of making his points and reconciling this with the inherent social force of discipline in the presence of the parent and interviewer. Another theory that is important in development of a child is Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development. This theory is based on the reasoning that determines judgment at every circumstance.

From the oral interaction which also summed up as an interview, the boy seemed really cautious when airing his views on various issues in the society. This was initiated by the delicate balance of fearing the parenting and enlisting his experience with some issues and what he holds against such (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). This observed behavior can be traced to some levels of Kohlberg’s theory of Moral Development. This boy’s confessions were consistent with Level 2. Conventional Morality, Stage 3 - Interpersonal Relationships.

This stage is associated with "good boy-good girl" orientation. This was in line with what appeared to be an attempt to adhere to the social order in the society by restricting his talks on the positive and moral confines of the society. Stage 4 - Maintaining Social Order as stage of moral development, Individuals begin to consider society as a whole when making judgments. The focus is in this case is maintaining law and order by following the rules, doing one’s duty and respecting authority.

This is extensively manifested in this boy as he gives an overview of so many social issues he has so far interacted with. At this stage of development for a boy, there a number of factors that poses significant challenges. One of this includes the issue of making some decision from the group influence point of view. It is important to note that making sound judgment at adolescence stage is relatively difficult as very few people are in a position to defy the hormonal power and emotional instability (Meggitt, 2007).

This is responsible for the inherent wave of peer that always acts as the source of direction on various social issues. The increasing use of social networking sites like face book, twitter, Skype and others is significantly threatening the moral standing of this age group. The economic status in which a child comes from has influence in the development due to the level of interaction and exposure to different communication technology. This is the reason behind the threat of unethical behavior among this group as they go through a transition of this age bracket to more mature youth.

A sense of body image begins developing around age 6. And it can be seen from the picture below how the children have begun to mark social sense boundary and portray some mature pose for a photo as they grow up. Reference Meggitt, C. (2007). Child development: An illustrated guide ; [birth to 16 years]. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers. Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2009). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2010). Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence.

Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.