Week 10 - We made it to the last week!

     I really enjoyed this class! Coming to the end of it, and learning about a lot of interesting topics regarding development at each stage of life, there are so many things that really struck a chord with me. I think the biggest idea that will stay with me is the idea that we are all developing in different ways all the time. No matter what age we get to, the fact that our experiences and our environments are constantly reshaping us, and helping us to redefine who we are, on a constant basis is fascinating. I mean I know and understand that in some ways we all stay exactly the same. But in so many ways (whether we're aware or not) we are constantly evolving and changing. And to me that is one of the most interesting things that was brought to my attention this quarter.
      Another topic that we learned about that really was relevant for me was learning about the cognitive development and the ages that they happen at for children. Children always have, and always will play a big role in my life. I love being around kids and interacting with them, watching them learn and grow and change. I have always loved being around my little cousins, friends children and now that I have my own nephew (and hopefully children of my own someday) I found all the different information regarding their development and what realistic expectations from a child at that age are, to be very valuable information. When it comes to me I hope that when the time is near I have reached integrity and feel like I have lived a meaningful life and able to pass in a safe and stress free environment with loved ones around. 

I had a great quarter with everybody!! Good luck to you all :)

Week 9 - Aging

     I found this weeks material to be very informative and at the same time makes you a little worried of aging. Although, there are many positive things about aging there definitely is physical changes that worry me. Changes such as hearing, seeing, and physical mobility worry me a bit more. Being so active throughout my life it is difficult to image not being able to move around as much, and the possibility of mental changes and diseases such alzheimer’s disease, parkinsons, depression. Not knowing my family history also leaves me in the dark about possible hereditary diseases that may come with old age.

     In reality aging or growing older almost seems to be feared by a lot of us. We don't want to grow old and have our lives change, or become the way our grandparents or parents are. And I don't think the media's pushing of the mentality of staying young forever, helps this mind set at all. I think the important thing to keep in mind when it comes to the aging process is that it's something that all of us (if we are lucky enough to reach old age) will all have to experience. And that just because it was awful for some people doesn't mean it has to be awful for us. I think maybe a perspective adjustment, and some healthy research and facts on the topic could help disperse and ease some of the fear that people feel going in to the aging process.

      Erikson believed that negative past stages might promote one feeling despair later in life and not feeling adequate with lives decisions made. I hope someday to retire sit back and remember how wonderful life was and how great it feels to be in a secure place and not fear death. 

week 8

This weeks article "Midlife Myths" was pretty interesting. I also wrote about this article for my article review this week!

I'm glad to find out that people are actually happier than what we think. Society, nowadays, is all about youth and staying young. It makes you have this negative opinion about getting older. This reminds me of the movie I saw awhile back, "This is 40", and it's about going through a midlife crisis. This movie and other things we watch on tv make being old look worse than what it really is.

I really think that the reason adults find themselves in crisis is the way these issues are resolved. Most events that come up unexpectedly in a person’s life may become a moment or a stage of crisis. Either its divorce or the death of a family, in which critical decisions need to be made, that will make up the rest of your life. The article states that the reason adults start to experiences crisis in their life is due to the amount of “juggling” they need to do between job, family, educations, and so on.

I think that people need to accept who they are, accept the transitions throughout life, relax a little, and let life happen. This whole denial stage would go away, and they could enjoy their lives more! One of my favorite quote is," life is all about how we handle the challenges we're given".

As I have  also mentioned this in my article review this week. This article relates to the text very well covering much of the material covered in Chapter thirteen. They both cover for example how people develop cognitively over the years. The experiences of the middle aged help them solve problems that younger people with their “quick minds” can’t. They also both cover the empty nest issue, Menopause and changing priorities. Although the text talks about it in different terms the article mentions the attaining of wisdom. I really like this part of the article and I think that this has a lot to do with becoming more satisfied with life.

Week 7

Intimacy vs. Isolation, Love and Friendship, Physical and Emotional abuse, Becoming an Adult, Divorce and children. Wow! We covered a lot of ground this week.
The problem of intimacy vs. isolation. It seems to me that throughout life we have to choose if we feel better or safer in limited friendship or in full disclosure type of relationships. Intimacy is knowing someone deep down and allowing this person to also know us. Self-disclosure is shared. Best friends in emerging adulthood, have a very large impact on who we choose to become. Friendship is important  because it helps us be mentally safe. Mental illness is less likely for people who have intimate relationships.
Also, it is very interesting to think about the truth that certain friends fulfill those certain roles or needs in our lives. For instance, I have a friend who I go to when I need adventure. We would find a new place to hike or explore. Quickly I discovered that true disclosure on my part would not be wise in this particular relationship! Then, you have other friends, for example, siblings, cousins, a significant other whom keep us well kept. They teach us a deeper sense of intimacy by providing a safe place to share our hopes, dreams and pain. These are the types of friends I hold on to with ferocity, because not many come along in life! Although, I myself am quite guilty. We always tend to take our loved ones for granted. So I have to remind myself of this everyday! 
The chapters this week also taught me about myself and what to look forward to in life. For instance, growth differences between emerging adulthood and middle adulthood are not only physical but mental as well. Stress is a huge factor with differences between emerging adults and middle adulthood. Emerging adults worry about family and jobs whereas middle adults stress on their health. Types of love are also different between these two categories. For example, emerging adults are more into the romantic type and the middle aged person is more focused on companionship. Overall I found this weeks reading enjoyable and informative.

Week 6 -

       I like that we are getting farther in the book now, because I feel like more and more I can relate to what I am reading, which makes it a lot easier to read and retain the information. The earlier stuff we learned is all very interesting, but it's refreshing to read things that you remember happening to you, and that you can relate to. It makes you feel like your not the only one with those problems. It was fascinating to hear about all of the things that can cause puberty to happen early. Ex: The environment, media, chemicals, and obesity were all mentioned.

       After watching the video of 'Advertising's Image of Women.' Advertisements, TV shows, movies, social media, all define beauty in the same way that can often have a unhealthy (mental and physical) influence on young girls. Stereotypes are also developed and change over time and they outline what society expects of people no matter how ridiculous they can be. Although, I don’t think that the media is all of the problem. Yes, the media glamorizes models, and teen girls feel that to compete in today's world, they have to be the size of models. If they aren't, this lowers their selfesteem. I believe other factors play a more important role in this situation. to give a few examples… peer pressure, family life, education level, boyfriends or the society in which they live. Yes, media can have some influence on the self-esteem of young people, but I believe that the determining factors in the development of selfesteem in the younger generation are more closely related to the home environment they are in, and also the child's upbringing. Parents should teach their kids that it is best to be an individual even if it means being different. What I mean by this is that a child will learn his or her own value by the example that his or her parent portray for them and by the love and value they receive from their parents.

       Anyway, I did enjoy the article "Inside the teen brain". The part about sleep was particularly interesting, because I have suffered with sleep problems for years. Nothing that I need to see a doctor for or anything, but basically everything they are describing in the article. Overall, this is going to be a very busy week for me, therefore, I wanted to get going on my blog and get a head start. I really do like psychology, and enjoying this course. Everyone always has really thoughtful things to say each week, and I enjoy reading everyone's opinions. Have a great week everyone, and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms ;)  Enjoy!