Thank you everyone

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."
- Maria Montessori

This quote helps me reflect on what I learned in this course. Specifically on the title "TRAUMA"
I would like to thank any followers of my blog. It is very motivating to have contact with people of the same interest as I. I have truly grown in this course. I hope that you all have had as much growth as I have. I enjoyed reading your blogs as well. I hope to see more of what you write in the future, even if we do not take the same courses. Good luck in your careers.  Thanks again. 

stressors and a child's poverty

Poverty affects children academically, socially and emotionally. I am one to know. I grew up poor. I always wore hand me downs. I was small for my age, so the cloths would be extra big on me. this rarely happened, so most of the time I had to share cloths with my brother. Unless someone gave me named brand shoes, my shoes was bought from Kmart, pay less and sometimes the thrift store, while most people around me wore name brand shoes. I wore too small shoes. My hair was always in braids beads and nappy; never the latest hair styles or styles for my age.

Poverty affected my academics, because I was very subconscious, uncomfortable and other things was going on that I could not focus on my education. I was socially an outcast. Most kids shunned me. I remember crying cause none of the kids would play with me. I was an emotional wreck. I handle the stress by not handling the stress. I knew there was nothing I could have done to change anything. I would what I called zoombify myself. I would function enough to make it. I would drift off in to daydream land. I would pretend that I was not associated to my surroundings. I heard things going on around me. I would see things around me. If I was not directly involved with the any type of interactions, I would zoombify myself.


Here is a link that I found interesting.http://www.zoriah.net/blog/2009/04/kenya_child_poverty.html
 http://www.babylifetime.com/article/1607/child-poverty-in-south-africa-regions/  Children generally copes with poverty the best they could. African children are usually surrounded by other children in poverty, so everyone is usually all on the same page. Everyone looks for ways to find food, care for younger siblings, eat what they can and ways to work for food. In one of the photos a young girl used a trash bag to protect herself from the rain. Some children find food while others starves to death. However, Africa is working to resolve famine. I know for a fact, a C chancellor and vice chancellor from our local pccua came back from Africa. They are working to set up educational systems. But as for the children, they are left making adult decisions and having adult responsibilities to survive.

Mental health of mother’s fathers and families is a very important aspect of a child’s life, from conception throughout adult hood. This subject is important to me, because I have learned how difficult a child’s life is when parent’s and families has a poor mental health. Mental health does not mean without a disability. I have seen a person with autism care for an infant and toddler better than a stable adult.

Mental  health is a rising epidemic in south Africa.  Money for mental care facilities is limited. In many areas care is for less than two percent of the population with mental health issues http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1213:the-silent-crisis-mental-health-in-africa&catid=61:hiv-aids-discussion-papers&Itemid=268

I also found out that children with mental illness are increasing, but the hospital can only hold ten children. In 2010 fifteen to twenty children per week had their first evaluation. http://allafrica.com/stories/201007221065.html

childbirth in my life and around the world

On October 12, 2009, I gave birth to my third child and daughter, Kailey. I had to have a scheduled c section, because the doctor I had before Kailey’s doctor cut me. I was a little hesitant, because I didn’t want to go through another c section. I learned that I did not have to have a second c section.  I went in to church on the 11^th and the hospital that night around 9 o’clock. I couldn’t eat after six o’clock. My husband and two daughters spent the night in the hospital with me. We don’t have family or people we can depend on to support us or be there for us. I went through surgery alone. My husband cared for my daughters. Delivery went quick. By the time he had dressed the girls put away blanket and the air mattress, and went into the regular room; I was out of surgery and in recovery. Kailey was my biggest child born. She weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces. I slept for the rest of the day and off and on during the evening. That evening I spent the night alone at the hospital. My husband came back the next day. I met and held my daughter for the first time, about ten a.m. I remember staying in the hospital for four days. I left the evening of the fourth day.  I choose this example because it wasn’t my first experience and my second experience was at a time my family was in town for our church week long revival. I was not able to bond with my child until the next day. I am not sure if having a csection instead of vaginal delivery affected the development of a child. Her head wasn’t shaped like a cone.

I thought this was a very good birthing tradition, from Africa. Before a child’s birth a mother goes away along and sits under a tree until she hears the song of unborn child. Once she hears the song she returns to the village teach the song to the child’s father. As they conceive the child they sing the song to invite the child to its birth. Later they teach the song to the midwife. During the child’s birth they sing the song to invite them into the world. As the child grow up the entire village learns and sing the song, allowing the child to hear their song throughout their life. This song is song for the last time at the child’s death.

This experience is different from my personal experience because of the links in the child’s life. My children didn’t have a lot of people around them rooting for their birth or helping to groom a healthy development, arrival or conception. I am sure the child who grows up with as much consistency and love; will have a better chance for success. I learned how imperative it is to bond, sing and talk to a child. It promotes a healthy development.

My supports

In my normal daily routine I have a few supportive places.
I am a SAHM, so much of my environments routine is pretty simple. I now have became acquainted to my local AHEC building. It is a place to work out and there are other state programs that have affiliations with the AHEC building. There is an open track as well as a playground for children. I could live with out the AHEC building being in my life. However it has began to be the foundation of me losing weight. I want to be a get down and dirty teacher. I want to run and play with my children. Obesity runs in my family, so I have to manage my weight now.  I also utilize the local library, which has been closed. I don't want to imagine myself without access to my local library. My children asks me everyday to walk to the library. I also utilize my local grocery stores. I can not see my life without a place to purchase food. I am a city girl living in the country, I would starve. I utilizes the local public schools system for three of my four children. I definitely would not want to live with out a place for my children to be educated and socialized.

If the schools and grocery stores did not exist, my children would not have a social life outside of my household, with an exception of visiting the hospital and going to church on Sundays. I am in a town where I nearest close relatives are 2 hours away laying in a hospital bed. My family is 10 hours away. If we did not have grocery stores, would starve to death. I can live without the AHEC building. I learned I can walk off my pounds. 

My connections play

"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths pure theatre."- Gail Godwin
Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas."- Paula Poundstone

Play when I was younger was very limited. I was made to sit and be still most of the time. When I did play I would play house or play games like tag. Even when I was around other children, I would often sit by myself. Most of my play was in daydream land. I couldn't go outside so besides the visits I had for cousins I spent my time daydreaming and pretending I was a visitor where I was living. I had a hard life. My experience and studies have shown me how important play is. There isn't much differences in play today than yesterday. However children today are exposed to much more than when I was younger. I do believe that play has not changed. People have changed.

 

These two pictures is something I remembered from only Christmas I had. Although I was a social reject, developmentally immature, an emotional wreck and angry. I had these two things for many years. I played with these toys well into my teen years. Many children my age made fun of me. I know understand why, however as a child it was hurtful. But I use to play mother. I took care of my babies as if they was real. however, when time came for my sixth grade responsibility project of caring for eggs. I failed.

Relationship reflections

Relationships are very important to me. I believe that all human beings desire to belong and to feel loved. When that desire isn't met it intensifies and may lead to being something else. I had family, but never felt as if I was loved or belonged. I believe family is the cornerstone and the beginning of a person's life. You can learn a lot about a person by meeting their family. Family does not have to be blood related. Now that I am older I have a better relationship. First I am married. My husband loves me dearly. He shows me in ways to this day, I don't always recognize. My four children, are very important to me. As a child my life was not ideal, so I longed for my own family. I wanted to love and be loved. My mother, I am not close to her, but we are better off than I was as a child. I am not mistreated, but I notice she doesn't put forth a big effort into evolving our relationship, unless she wants something. My husband and I talks, spend time together, not alone that often because we are away from all of our family. My children is constantly taught and talked to. I try to consider their individuality as well as teaching them good ethics morals and values. Its always work when dealing with other people. However, the intensities depends on the people. I learned to accept people for who they are. I learned how to deal with people based on who they are. For example, I took a lot of time in help raising my siblings. One of them is a big liar and a thief. However, I still love him. I don't mistreat him, however I do not trust everything he says and I protect anything I don't want to loose when he is around. My mother doesn't value our relationship, but I misses her and the rest of my family. So I call and talk to her, however I don't push myself on her. I value family, however, family members are still people, so I believe I have to respect each person as an individual.