WHO ARE MY STUDENTS?

US HO E

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L E L Y E M

P U N B A .

Copyright © Ellyman Publishing House.

All intellectual property rights are reserved. Except for quoting texts in this digital book or by abiding by accepted quotations of copyright law, no part of this property is expected to be replicated, dispersed, or reproduced in any form—including taking photos, recording, or other advanced electronic techniques, without prior permission of the publishers.

For permission requests, reach out to the publishers indicated at the latter part of this digital book.

Any references to historical events, real people or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the authors’ imaginations.

Front cover images by Elizabelle De Leon and Leoandro Manegdeg.

Book design by Elizabelle De Leon, Leoandro Manegdeg and Ysabel Josephine Ordiano.

Published by the Ellyman Publishing House. _th day of May, 2022

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Philippine Normal University Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines 1000 Metro Manil

Setting aside this book being the authors’ requirement for their subject, Psychology of Learners, they have also conceptualized outside the box about what material would be appropriate for their potential learners in the future.

Initial storyline and characters were altered, multiple readings were enforced and the indecisiveness for the layout editing was brought about.

At least two months before this foreword is being written, which is apparently on the 2nd of May 2022, the plan for this digital book had just started. The authors, OBTEC I-6 from the Philippine Normal University - Manila, had brainstormed what title would be given to the book, how many pages are enough and what would it consist of.

Eventually, after the second meeting, they all unified as a class. It was evident that everyone in the block was contributing and giving their finest ideas to incorporate in the making of the book and in the content of the book itself.

The efforts of each one in the class, starting from the respective groups who made their own stories, concept summaries, recommended strategies and their illustrations, to the proofreaders and layout artists—are all wellrecognized and acknowledged.

This book, which aims to expand and outstretch the knowledge of other individuals who have little to no knowledge about a child’s development—is not just your typical electronic book. It contains a bubbly yet informative storyline that will not just nudge your pleasure in reading but will also make you reminisce about your own journey as the characters did, as you go on.

The prime movers of this book surely handled their time wisely.

One more thing, before you turn the pages… the authors require your

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permission to get to know you students students.

We are the 21st century learners seeking an inclusive education for all while consciously knowing our students and prospective learners in time. The weight of this book greatly relies on how you will perceive each page, read each line, and provide meaning to each chapter.

Are you holding this book with agog in you? If so, we are greatly humbled by your choice. As soon as you flip and turn the pages, we hope to see you value words that have gone through processes, and may the lessons and recommended strategies strike to its utmost purpose.

All of us, the OBTEC I-6, jointly created each piece with care and considerations—incorporating the technical lessons learnt from each synchronous discussion.

Lifelong understanding and a variety of situations have been used in this book; the continuum story makes the book more significant as each friend has time to share and discuss their life experiences.

Learners are everywhere; no age, no gender, requires a development, but a mind ready to be called a novice. May this book be a reminder that we are the every-first word of each of

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the paragraphs.

11

PROLOGUE

12

CHAPTER 01

21

CHAPTER 02

30

CHAPTER 03

39

CHAPTER 04

49

CHAPTER 05

NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

NEWBORN

EARLY CHILDHOOD

ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

59 67 79 90

CHAPTER 06

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 07

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 08

MORAL DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 09

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

100

CHAPTER 10

110

CHAPTER 11

119

CHAPTER 12

129 130

PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMEN’T

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

OBTEC 1-6

I S A S S A S I I S A IS SAIS SAI S S A SAIS S

AIS S I S A S S S A S I I SS S SA

AI

SAIS AI S S SAIS IS S I S A I S AI SA S AI

S

AIS SAIS SA S S AIS SAIS SA IS AI S S AIS SAIS SA IS

S AIS S

Aside from making a typical story book, the authors also integrated informative sections and interactive activities that are indicated after every story in each of the chapters. "SAIS" in inspired from the section of the authors — I-6 and the number being translated to Spanish. The block persistently regards their section as an alliance that wanders out of the box and thinks ahead of what is typical.

A SA IS S SA I I I S A S A SA S S I I S SA

Each of the letters in SAIS are: S: Story A: Analysis (Concept Summary) I: Integration and Application (Activity) S: Summary and Synthesis (Recommended Strategies)

SAIS SAIS IS AIS SAIS SA US HO E

ELLEYM

S IS AIS SAIS S S S PUB N A .

Happy reading and learning!

AFTER PUB N A .

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ALL

" Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow.

—Jawaharlal Nehru

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It is blissful to look back on the long journey of life—to laugh off the struggles, despite having to wipe the tears brought by the past.

Prologue THIRD PERSON’S POINT OF VIEW The campsite was filled with inside jokes and flashbacks of their silly moments at their previous school— reminiscing the nostalgic feeling brought by the cold wind passing through.

All of them were college friends. They are now senior citizens and soon-to-be’s. This camp, apparently, was the first time they reunited after being settled with their families after graduation. Marvin, Carmen, Celino, Christine, Lizzie, Miguel, Felicia, Joy, Leni, Kyla, Helen and Tricia were students of the Philippine Normal University. They already formed a bond even from their first year. Unfortunately, they know everything, even their personal issues and darkest secrets. They know everything about each other but their personal growth and development from birth to old age.

“Why don’t we reminisce about our journey growing up?” Felicia asked.

…and so, their stories were uncovered, one by one.

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“The interaction of heredity and environment is so extensive that to ask which is more important, nature or nurture, is like asking which is more important to a rectangle, height or width”.

-William Greenough

M

ature

laughters

echoed

in

the

distance. Elders with their white hairs

greeted

smiles

each

other

plastered

with

on

their

wrinkled faces. A few hugged, a

a few chatted. All 12 of them, cramped in a

campsite surrounded with large trees, pebbles and a lake on the side.

“Hey! You want hotdogs?”

Celino shouted,

raising a bag of hotdogs in both his hands.

Leni faced and walked beside him.

“Oh come on, Celino! We had just reconnected after a long time and the first thing you’re gonna do is cook hotdogs?

Wow, you haven't changed at all.” She muttered

disappointedly

while

crossing

her

arms.

“What do you expect? Celino was always the first one to get out of the classroom and storm to the cafeteria every time the bell rings,” Miguel interrupted and laughed.

Celino

broke

down

laughing

as

he

remembered the silly things he did back then.

The rest joined. The campsite was filled with inside

jokes

and

flashbacks

of

their

silly

moments at their previous school—reminiscing the nostalgic feeling brought by the cold wind passing through.

All of them were college friends. They are now senior citizens and soon-to-be’s. This camp, apparently, was the first time they reunited after

being

settled

with

their

families

after

graduation. Marvin, Carmen, Celino, Christine, Lizzie, and

Miguel,

Tricia

Felicia,

were

Joy,

students

Leni, of

Kyla,

the

Helen

Philippine

Normal University.

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

They already formed a bond even from their first year. Unfortunately, they know everything, even their personal issues and darkest secrets. They know everything about each other but their personal growth and development from birth to old age.

“Why don’t we reminisce about our journey growing up?” Felicia asked.

Wanting to sit, she struggled placing the log at the center but her back pain

“Oh, that should be good. Kyla will have to recall all the ex-boyfriends she had been with before.” wouldn’t let her. Helen helped her and sat down,

“Can you not? I already have a family! I would never bear a family with all those buffoons! Plus, one of them has diabetes, I would be afraid if our children have them too, if we wed.”

Kyla, who tried putting her dentures in and out, shouted,

“Why? I have diabetes. My adult children have them too,” Marvin said.

Silence hugged the air. All of them sat, forming a circle.

“How long have you been diabetic?” Carmen worriedly asked.

“About 6 years ago.”

“And your children? Are they alright?” Tricia implored.

“Yes, they are. They have been diagnosed 2 years ago. We often check their blood sugars so you have nothing to worry about.” Marvin assured them.

“Why won’t we be worried? You’re our friend and they’re our grandchildren too. Did you inherit that from your parents?”

Celino stood and sat beside him,

“Yes, I did. My siblings too, they’re diabetic. It is hereditary. That is ‘nature’ in development, it is what you inherit from your parents or those relatives who were born before you. There is also ‘nurture’ in development, which are the ones in our environment that can be developed and acquired in time.

Nature and nurture are one of the principles of human growth and development,” Marvin elucidated and stood at the center.

“An example of nature is intelligence,” he added.

“Aha! That is what my boy, Cal, got from me! At his school, he ranked first a couple of times and was always recommended by his teachers!

Aaaaahhhh, I remember our college days when I would consecutively win against the class presidents from the other blocks,” Joy exclaimed, putting her hands on her chest as she leaned back.

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

“Yes, Joy, that is nature in development. An example of nurture, in contrast, is our music tastes. Due to different upbringings and circumstances, our exposure to the environment can also differ from our children’s. Therefore, a lot of factors affect their music tastes. It can also be because of how their friends influenced them.

Bottomline is, nurture in development are those environmental factors that can be acquired and eventually, can influence one’s development and growth.”

Marvin chuckled, sat beside Joy and gave her a drink,

The 11 of them listened attentively as Marvin further elaborated.

“We are the result of the interaction of both nature and nurture in different ways. Nature cannot be expelled nor changed but nurture can. Can you control your height any time?” He asked Kyla.

“No,” she answered quickly.

“That is because we are born with genes that determine how tall we might become. However, other external factors can be in our diet, or whether we have illnesses,” he explained.

Lizzie interrupted,

“Joy, Marvin’s smarter than you now.”

Everyone tittered while Joy rolled her eyes.

“Oh, Lizzie, how I wish I could be as smart as her. My grandson, Frank, just told me everything I said. He is now a teacher at the Philippine Normal University. Impressive, isn’t it?” Marvin said proudly, crossing his arms.

“Wow! We need to visit there sometime and see him! I bet he resembles you a lot!”

“Isn’t he your first grandchild? The one you brought to my 56th birthday? He was only the size of a peanut the last time I saw him!”

How is he? What does he look like?”

“

Exciting

remarks

were

bestowed

to

Marvin

at

how

proudly

he

told

them

his

grandson’s career.

He has his mother’s hazel brown eyes, my height, and my skin complexion.”

“

That’s nature in development, correct?”

“

Tricia asked, pointing her finger at

Marvin.

Everyone laughed at her for understanding everything Marvin said that apparently seemed almost like a classroom discussion hadn’t they known each other.

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

“By the way, another principle of human growth and development is that growth is sequential. Humans, and also animals, follow the same developmental pattern. There are no babies who could already walk after just being born. They cannot write, read, dance or sing yet.”

He stood up once again,

“We know that, why are you telling us that?” Carmen furrowed her eyebrows.

“Just for you to recall! It is related to what I’m saying, Carmen.” Marvin stated as he counted the principles with his fingers. “The rest of the principles are that each developmental stage has characteristic traits, everyone should experience the types of learning in order to fully mature, homeostasis is what our bodies tend to maintain, developmental rates vary, and that growth is patterned.”

Joy

went

near

educator?”

Marvin chuckled,

Marvin

and

asked,

“Were you really an engineer or an

“Just an intellectual.”

All of them giggled, totally engaged with the discourse.

“Anyways, don’t you really want hotdogs?”

Celino, who, by the way, brought

dozens of bags of hotdogs, asked.

“You know what, I should have insisted you earlier to cook those, we could have eaten it while Marvin was babbling.” Leni walked towards him and the others followed.

Celino looked at her with a wow-so-you-have-chosen-death-look.

“Oh, come on, Leni! We had just reconnected after a long time and the first thing you’re gonna do is starve me? Wow, you haven't changed at all…” He mocked her and crossed his arms as well.

“You know Leni’s always confusing. Much worse as she grew older.” Felicia muttered and walked towards the table where lots of food were being prepared.

Leni faced her and raised one of her eyebrows,

grandchildren is also judgmental.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

“I bet one of your children or

Felicia answered. All of them busted their lungs

out and again, laughter filled the campsite.

As they prepared food, they brought back nature and nurture in development in which Marvin had talked to them about a while ago.

Are cooking skills genetically inherited as well?”

“

Christine asked Marvin as

she chewed the hotdog.

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

“There are scientists who say they are, but there are also scientists who say they aren’t. I guess it depends on the child if they choose to boost their cooking skills as they grow older if they really want to,” he answered.

He thought for a while then answered,

“Oh, really? What about personality?” Christine asked once again.

“That is nurture.”

“Hair color?”

“Nature.”

“Idolatry?”

“Nurture.”

“This is your fault, Marvin,” Carmen muttered.

“Why? Felicia was the one who said we should talk about our developmental journeys,” Marvin chuckled.

“Why, Carmen? Didn’t you enjoy what Marvin shared?”

Tricia asked, walking

towards her.

“I did, I just remembered something I don’t want to remember.”

“Why? What happened?” Miguel asked.

Helen joined,

“Carmen, what’s your story?”

The 11 of them went back to their seats, waiting for Carmen to start. She breathed heavily and everyone looked confused. They asked each other telepathically.

“Does it have something to do with your development?” Lizzie initiated.

Carmen did not answer directly,

precious.”

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“I became an alcoholic, and lost someone

NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

CONCEPT SUMMARY Human

Behavior:

Nature

or

Nurture?

–

Evolutionary

Psychology:

Exploring

Big

Questions

“The key to development is the interaction of nature and nurture rather than key factors

alone

(Rutter,

2001

as

quoted

by

Santrock,

2002).

Genetics

and

environment work simultaneously and not either-or but both-and phrase; without genes,

there

is

no

person,

without

environment

there

is

no

person

(Scarr

&

Weinberg, 1980, quoted by Santrick, 2002).

Heredity & environment operate together or cooperate & interact to produce a person & its make-up.

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest philosophical issues within psychology. So what exactly is it all about?

Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors

that influence

who we are—from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics.

Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture.

A

few

certain

examples

of

biologically

determined

characteristics

(nature)

genetic diseases, eye color, hair color, and skin color.

include

Other things

like life expectancy and height have a strong biological component, but they are also influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle.

Nature: refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we

are-

from

our

physical

appearance

to

our

personality

characteristics

(definition retrieved from verywellmind.com on November 17, 2019).

Epigenetics: the study of heritable changes in gene function that do not involve

changes

in

DNA

sequence

(definition

retrieved

from

MerriamWebster.com on November 17, 2019) Humanism

Nurture: Environmental factors that influence our growth and behaviour.

Empiricism:

The

belief

that

people

are

born

as

a

blank

slate

learning

everything from their environment.

Empericism

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Some Nature-sided Hippocrates theorized that personality traits and human behaviors are based on four separate temperaments associated with four fluids (“humors”) of the body:

choleric

temperament

(yellow

bile

from

the

liver),

melancholic

temperament (black bile from the kidneys), sanguine temperament (red blood from the heart), and phlegmatic temperament (white phlegm from the lungs) (Clark & Watson, 2008; Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985; Lecci & Magnavita, 2013; Noga, 2007).

A fairly recent study (Kamran, 2016) conducted in Pakistan suggests that the parallels

drawn

regarding

the

temperament

of

siblings

are

due

to

their

genetics. The results of this study states that the genetic makeup of relatives of the family (even deceased) also influence how the child acts.

ACTIVITY 1 1. Read the published book The Nurture Assumption, by Judith Harris (1998).

2. State in not more than 2 paragraphs the thesis of Judith Harris book.

3. a. Watch "Lonely Only" on YouTube. Only Children: Debunking the Myths About Single Children. b. In 1896 Granville Stanley Hall described only children as "deficient on the social side," "petted," "humored," "indulged," and "spoiled." Today, many consider this a MYTH. What do you think?

For related articles, refer to TIME Magazine, July 19, 2010 issue. State in not more than

10

sentences

the

position

expressed

in

the

YouTube

and

in

the

Time

Magazine.

4.

Watch

"The

battle

between

nature

and

nurture",

Irene

Gallego

Romero,

TEDxNTU. What conclusions can you derive from the battle between nature and nurture?

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Genetics: them

are

Disabilities and mental conditions can run in the family. Examples of autism,

spectrum

disorder,

cerebral

palsy,

intellectual

disability,

diabetes and many more. It is strongly recommended for the family to refrain from risky food and drinks and to divert from bad habits to prevent the said illnesses. Therefore, if they do so, it can result in a healthy and strong baby when born.

Environment:

The family or the people that surround the child must make sure to

expose them to a kind and healthy environment. Otherwise, if they get exposed to extreme situations, they might encounter trauma, acquire bad behavior or impulsive decisions from others as they grow up.

NATURE & NURTURE working simultaneously in the Classroom.

Presuming kinesthetic),

that

students

academic

have

aptness

different

and

pacing

learning (slow-

styles

and/or

(visual,

auditory,

fast-learners),

and

behavioral concerns.

Some students have special needs, some have diseases that make learning for them way challenging than the students who don’t have. There are students who have visual impairments, difficulty in hearing, physically learning-disabled, slowlearner, varying the teaching instructions and treatments.

To cater the needs of every student in the class, teachers could use multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement.

Use multisensorial learning materials: Video

presentations,

Audio

(all the senses should be run-on)

Recordings,

Podcasts,

Reading

Materials

(dyslexic-flexible), Dance, and the like;

Uniformity of the Language used:

provide

examples

and

meanings

of

certain terms.

Metacognitively Engage the Students.

Allow your students to have creative outputs —by working through their capabilities, resources, skills, & interest without neglecting the intended outcomes of learning.

Value process same way with the output.

Monitor their progress.

Encourage Small-group Discussions (SGD) Maximize different learning opportunities and sources.

Provide time for independent study.

Recitations to provide retention and engagement.

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NATURE AND CONCEPTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“The history of a man for nine months preceding his birth would, probably, be far more interesting, and contain events of greater moment than all three scores and ten years that follow it.” -Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I

“I became an lost someone

did not answer directly,

alcoholic, precious.”

and

The rest stared at each other for a few

seconds—processing what has been said, as if they were a sponge absorbing the water that has been spilled.

“What do you mean?”

Joy

asked

with

a

furrowed brow.

Again, I sighed and looked at each of them,

“3 years after graduation, I was pregnant.

But Jim and I would fight as he would always spend time with his female boss at work,” I muttered. I was anxious about telling it to my college friends.

Worried faces were plastered on them and

“Is that why you said you became an alcoholic?” then Helen asked,

I looked at her,

alcohol.”

“Yes. I drowned myself with

“W-what about your baby?”

Celino raised

his hand.

“Gone. Heaven.” I faced a miscarriage,” I added.

the ground,

“I had

The rest gasped. They now know why I was hesitant to tell my story.

“Why would you do that, Carmen? And why didn’t you tell us?” Kyla felt tears in her eyes.

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PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

first week of my pregnancy. I was so occupied with my husband’s affair that I forgot about our baby. I couldn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. You already have your own families at that time and I didn’t want to disturb you,” I said, with a cracked voice.

“Carmen…” Leni facepalmed.

“If my baby had survived its 20th week, it would have completed the prenatal development until it was born,” I added, still looking down.

“Prenatal development? I still do not have enough knowledge about that,” Miguel said.

“Prenatal development has 3 stages. The first one is the germinal stage or the period of the zygote. The second stage is the embryonic stage or the period of the embryo. Lastly, the third stage is the fetal stage or the period of the fetus.”

I looked at him, then to the rest,

“The first stage or the germinal stage lasts for about two weeks from fertilization. The fertilized egg is called a zygote. After fertilization, within 24 up to 30 hours, the zygote will divide and then it will divide again every 12 hours. Then comes implantation.

It will take a week to complete and then will eventually trigger hormonal changes. After the 3rd week, the embryonic disc will form three layers of cells.”

I started to walk around them and continued,

Felicia looked at me,

“And what are those three layers of cells?”

“The ectoderm, the mesoderm and then the endoderm. The ectoderm will become the nervous system and the skin. The mesoderm will develop the muscles, skeleton, circulatory system and other internal organs. Then the endoderm will become the digestive system, lungs, urinary tract, and glands.”

I looked back,

“The second stage of the prenatal development is the embryonic stage. It will last from implantation up until the 8th week. The zygote will now be called an embryo once it is completely implanted in the uterine wall. All body structures and internal organs will begin to develop also as rapid prenatal changes occur.”

I added,

“Was that the last stage your baby reached?” Lizzie asked.

“Yes, I miscarried in the early stages.” I frowned, still looking down.

Silence was formed.

“That was probably dreadful for you,” Miguel stated.

“I am sure it was,” Helen added, “By the way, you said there are three stages. What is the third one?”

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PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

“Oh, right. The third stage is the fetal stage. It is the final and the longest phase in prenatal development. It is also known as the growth and finishing phase. It will last from 3 months to 9 months. At the 3rd month, the muscles, organs, and nervous systems will start to progress and develop. Also, the brain can already signal and they will begin their responses, or the reflexes such as kicking, arm bending, toes curling, mouth opening, and thumbsucking. Once it reaches 12 weeks, the sex of the fetus can already be determined. The heartbeat will be stronger, the fetus will grow larger and will create large movements inside the womb.”

I faced her,

Everyone

was

in

awe

at

how

I

was

still

able

to

say

all

of

it

despite

being

sorrowful.

“How are you coping up until now?” Christine stood and went beside me.

“I stare at our balcony, wondering how my baby would have looked like now,” I answered. “I also quit drinking. After I broke down, I swore to myself never to drink anymore. Years later, I was blessed with 2 more children. It is only heartbreaking that they did not get to at least see their first sibling.”

“We’ll visit your angel some time soon, alright?”

Marvin assured me and

touched my shoulder.

I smiled and the rest did too.

“I’m sorry I only told you this now. I never had the courage. That is what I regret the most.”

“You do not have to worry. There are personal matters that you really could not tell others because of fear, no matter how close you are to them or how long you’ve known them. But if they truly care for you, they would understand and would even respect you to take your time.”

Marvin went to the table to get a hotdog and gave it to me,

“That’s right, Carmen. Besides, I’m sure your angel would understand you and would be even looking down on you right now, proud that you still consider them your child.”

Helen went to get a hotdog too,

I looked up and hoped for it to be right. I think of them all the time, unsure if they have already forgiven me.

“But hey, Carmen,” Felicia walked up to me, “I am sure you know the danger you have put them through. You are the mother, hence, you should have been responsible during your pregnancy. Your husband leaving you was a lame excuse. Now at your age, I am certain that you have learned from it, considering you already have a couple of grandchildren.”

Yes, Felicia, I ask forgiveness from them everyday. My addiction to alcohol before was inexplicable,” I muttered, “I was immature.” “

Felicia offered me a hug and I gladly hugged back. The rest smiled and Felicia went back to her seat.

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PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

“Do you have anything more to share, Carmen?”

Kyla asked me, still fixing her

dentures.

I thought for a while.

“Oh, yes, I do. Also in the context of prenatal development.”

The 11 fixed their seats and listened.

“Teratogens. They are environmental agents that can damage or risk the unborn child during the prenatal period. One of them is alcohol.” I looked away.

“It is alright, Carmen. You can continue.” Helen said.

“Uhm, another example of teratogens are cigarettes, drugs and certain infections. Their harm depends on such factors like dose, heredity, or other negative influences and the age of the prenatal organism. Because a person has different genetic makeup, a teratogen will also have different effects on them. Also, the earlier an unborn child is exposed to a teratogen during the pregnancy, the more harm it would cause them.” I looked down.

I looked back and smiled at her,

“You know, Carmen, your courage is admirable.” Christine complimented me.

“The fact that you shared all of this to us proves you own up to what you did.”

Everyone agreed and I wore my biggest smile, glad that they understood and acknowledged me.

“Why don’t we make s’mores, huh?” Marvin insisted.

“Uh-oh, Celino, don’t make him cook. Remember when he burned his steak when he volunteered to cook at the nutrition month competition at school?”

Tricia whispered to Celino. The latter chuckled.

“I heard that,” Marvin snorted.

“Shut it, Tricia, as if you know how to cook,” Leni retaliated for Marvin.

At our age, aside from our looks, no one would guess we are now senior citizens the way we make fun of each other.

“Leni, you really do know how to insult, don’t you? I learned to cook, of course! Before I wed!” Kyla answered, raising an eyebrow.

“Shush! My ears are hurting!” Miguel exclaimed.

Everyone laughed and started to do their own thing. Tricia and Helen chatted, Miguel, Joy, Felicia and Lizzie built a campfire, Me, Christine and Leni made s’mores, Marvin and Kyla built tents and there was Celino, seated and was found staring at the sky by Joy.

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PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

“What are you thinking about, Celino?”

“I miss my children when they were still young. I barely remember anything because of my old age but with my memories with them, I do.”

Do you want to share your story?” Miguel asked him.

“

Yes, Celino, do tell!” Felicia said and Lizzie nodded as they had now created a fire." “

Celino breathed, smiled and stood up.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Prenatal development has three stages. The germinal stage or period of the zygote, the embryonic stage or the period of the embryo, and the fetal stage or the period of the fetus.

1. The germinal stage • The first two weeks after conception This includes: 1. Creation of the zygote, 2. Continued cell division and, 3. The attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall. a. 24 - 36 hours after fertilization - the male (sperm) and female (egg) chromosomes unite. b. 36 hours - the fertilized ovum, zygote, divided into two; 2 cells. c. 48 hours (two days) - 2 cells become 4 cells d. 72 hours (three days) - 4 cells become a small compact ball of 16-32 cells. e. 96 hours (four days) - hollow ball of 64-128 cells. f. Four to five days - inner cell mass (blastocyst) still free in the uterus. g. Six to seven days - blastocyst attaches to the wall of the uterus. h. 11 - 15 days - blastocyst invades into the uterine wall and becomes implanted in it (implantation).

2. The embryonic stage • 2-8 weeks after conception The

name

of

the

mass

cells,

zygote,

becomes

embryo.

The

following

development takes place: 1. Cell differentiation intensifies; 2. Life support systems for the embryo develop; and 3. Organs appear.

Page | 26

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

During the 3rd week after conception, the embryonic disk folds over to form three layers of cells:

Ectoderm which will become the nervous system, and sensory receptors

1.

(eyes, ears, note) and skin parts (nails, hair).

2.

Mesoderm from which will develop the muscles, skeleton, circulatory system

and other internal organs (the process of organ formation is called organogenesis).

3.

Endoderm which will become the digestive system, lungs, urinary tract, and

glands

Life-support systems such as the placenta, the umbilical cord, and the amnion develop rapidly. These life-support system systems developed from the fertilized egg and not from the mother’s body.

3. Fetal Period • growth and development continue dramatically during this period. The details of the developmental process are as follows: 1.

3 month after conception

- the fetus is about 3 inches long and weighs

about 1 ounce. Fetus has become active, moves its arms & legs, opens and closes its mouth, and moves its head, the genitals can now be identified.

2.

4 months after conception

- fetus is about 6 inches long and weighs 4 to 7

pounds. Prenatal reflexes are stronger; mother feels arm and leg movements for the first time.

3.

5 months after conception

- the fetus is about 12 inches long; weighs close

to a pound; structures of the skins have formed; the fetus is more active.

4.

6 months after conception - fetus is about 14 inches long; weighs close to a pound; grasping reflex is present.

5.

7 months after conception

- fetus is about 16 inches long and weighs 3

pounds.

6.

8 - 9 months after conception

- fetus grows longer and gains substantial

weight, about 4 pounds.

Hazards to Prenatal Development Teratology investigates the causes

of congenital birth defects. A teratogen is

that which causes birth defects (comes from the greek word “tera” which means “monster”).

Hazards to prenatal development: 1. Prescription and non-prescription drugs (Thalidomide, antibiotics, aspirin and coffee).

2. Psychoactive drugs (nicotine, caffeine, and illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin). Heavy drinking by pregnant women results in the so called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

3. Environmental hazards that include radiation and x-rays, environmental pollutants, toxic wastes, and prolonged exposure to heat in saunas and bath tubs.

4. Other maternal factors such as rubella, syphilis, genital herpes, AIDS, nutrition, high anxiety and stress age.

5. Paternal Factors father’s exposure to lead, radiation, certain pesticides and petrochemicals may cause abnormalities in sperm that lead to miscarriage or

Page | 27

diseases such as childhood cancer.

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITY 2 1. Here are 3 boxes for you to write the stages of prenatal development.

2. Give some hazards of prenatal development. Use the given graphic organizer 3. Five circles surrounding one circle in the middle (Prenatal development Zygote, Embryo, Fetus)

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PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Recommended Strategies and Activities to The Pregnant Parents influencing the Child Development https://birthright.com.au/nurture-baby-womb/

The

more

involved

you

are

with

your

baby

from

conception,

the

deeper

the

connection you will develop. There are many activities to include in your baby’s vital education ‘inside’, which can continue on the outside:-

PLAY MUSIC

– and tell your baby what it is, who is the composer, and why you

like it.

READ BOOKS

– they don’t have to be specifically children’s books, it may be a

book that you are enjoying reading (obviously not the crime novel!) Read it out loud and tell your baby the name of the book, the author and why you are enjoying it. Babies do enjoy children’s books, as most adults have a higher pitch voice when reading.

READ POETRY

– a baby in utero clearly responds to the rhyming nature of a

poem.

TOUCH

– this often happens quite spontaneously. How often have you seen a

pregnant

woman

standing

in

a

queue,

swaying

and

rubbing

her

belly

in

a

rhythmical, circular motion? Exactly as she will do when the baby is born, and babies love this touch inside and outside the womb.

TALK TO YOUR BABY

– this is the most important. Pretend your baby is in the

outside world and let him know exactly what you are doing. Say good morning and explain to the baby what’s on the agenda for today. Maybe work, or exercise or visiting family, coffee with a friend – whatever is on your day’s agenda, share it with your baby. He will be alerted, interested but most of all love the connection you are sharing and this connection will continue to make him feel safe.

MEDITATION and RELAXATION

– every pregnant woman should ideally try and

schedule this daily. A baby loves feeling and sensing his Mum’s total relaxation, stillness and deep presence.

Continue to live a healthy routine while and after carrying the baby. Make sure to be guided by different psychologists who have studied child development. Foster their; Physical, Cognitive, and Moral being of the child.

Page | 29

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

Page | 30

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“By virtue of being born to humanity, every human being has a right to the development and fulfillment of his potentialities as a human being”. -Ashley Montagu

I

stared

at

the

sky,

thinking

about

my

children who I cherish the most, aside from my wife, Lucia.

Listening to my friends share thei stories

about their families and their journeys made me want to look back at mine. At my age, 56 years old, I realized I never really looked back at all the things I did in this lifetime, the ones I met and the lessons I learned. I also realized that there is still a lot of stuff before that I want to go back to. How I only wish.

I stared at the sky, thinking about my children who I cherish the most, aside from my wife, Lucia.

Listening

to

my

friends

share

their

stories about their families and their journeys made me want to look back at mine. At my age,

56

looked

years

back

lifetime,

the

old,

at

I

all

ones

realized

the I

I

things

met

and

never I

did

the

really in

this

lessons

I

learned. I also realized that there is still a lot of stuff before that I want to go back to. How I only wish.

“What are you thinking about, Celino?” Joy asked

me,

burning

fire

with

Miguel,

Felicia

and Lizzie.

“I miss my children when they were still young. I barely remember anything because of my old age but with my memories with them, I do.”

I

replied,

“Do you want to share your story?”

Miguel

asked me.

“Yes, Celino, do tell!” Felicia exclaimed.

Okay, if they insist but I’m not gonna be too dramatic.

Page | 31

THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

“Blinking reflex is also a popular one. When the newborn’s eyes get distracted by a very bright light, they would blink repeatedly. It helps them avoid unpleasant or unhealthy things,” I continued.

“Oh, Celino, what do you call the reflex that whenever something is placed on the neonate’s hand, they would grasp it?” Helen asked.

“Helen, that is the palmar reflex. It is a grasp reflex. It is a preparation for holding something.”

I went to the table to get another hotdog and said,

“How does the newborn grasp it?” Carmen wondered.

“They curl their fingers around the object or a hand,” I replied.

“Oh, I see.”

Leni raised her hand,

time?”

“Do all newborns have the similar reflexes at the same

No, Leni. Each newborn develops at a different speed. Some grow quickly and some do not. Only healthy babies are born with newborn reflexes. If the reflexes are not present in them at birth, then their brains and nervous systems did not develop normally.”

I answered, “

“My second grandchild was just like that. He did not do anything when we tried to make him stand on a flat surface. When he grew up, he had headaches that continued for a long time. Also, until now, at the age of 4 years old, he always forgets everything, even though we only said something to him an hour ago,” Felicia told us.

“Maybe your second grandchild has a weak nervous system,” Joy presumed.

Someone who forgets everything after just being told an hour ago? From birth to now? Strange.

“When did you last get him checked? I also think his nervous system did not develop normally,” I said.

“2 years ago. You’re right, Joy. His nervous system is dysfunctional. When he was a year old, we got him checked and that is what his pediatrician said,” Felicia muttered.

“Was he a premature baby?”

Felicia nodded and I mumbled,

“That’s why.”

“Premature babies are usually behind in development than some babies who are normally developed.”

I added,

“Speaking of development, why don’t we develop a plan on how we should sleep tonight?” She babbled with a sarcastic tone and with Helen interrupted,

a fake smile, probably bored of all the stories.

Page | 32

THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

“Aren’t you enjoying the talk?” Tricia blurted.

“I am. At my old age, I just got used to sleeping early,” Helen stated.

Maybe I bore them. Well they were the ones who insisted I tell mine. I don’t know why I even befriended these pricks.

“I’m sorry, am I boring you too much?” I said sarcastically with my hands on my hips.

“Not that, old man. This was supposed to be a fun time and there you are missing your children. But us, you haven’t seen us for a long time and you didn’t even miss us?” Tricia snorted.

“Oh, so you’re jealous of my children?”

They all chortled. These oldies are doomed, it wasn’t even that funny. I sighed, what on earth happened to their sense of humor? So easy to crack now.

“No, we’re jealous of how much time you consume by sharing. We could have started eating already,” Another oldie retaliated. It was Carmen.

“Just let Celino be. He was always the storyteller. He was always the storyteller because he was our teacher’s pet!” Miguel exclaimed.

We busted our lungs. I was indeed the teacher’s pet. All the time, I would be called to recite and read. Nostalgic.

After the deafening laughter that surrounded the camp site, it was replaced by silence.

“Celino, do you have anything more to say?”

Tricia

asked,

contradicting

herself.

“I thought you said I consume too much time?”

“People change.”

And once again, we hugged the camp site with our shrieking laughs. This time, with tears in our eyes.

As I composed myself, I tried to share again, “Aaaah, my stomach is hurting.” It

“But I am going to add a thing or two about the reflexes I stated earlier. When you try to make the baby stand on a flat surface and their legs start skipping, it is called stepping reflex. It basically practices them once they have already reached the age when they could walk.” really did.

“I do that all the time with my grandchildren. It looks like they are walking in the air,” Christine chuckled.

“Yes, Christine. They sometimes dance,” both of us giggled. “Anyway, the last thing I’m going to share with you all is the babinski reflex. Their toes fan out when their feet are stroked. It has no purpose though.”

Page | 33

THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

“Oh, right. Some reflexes do not have purposes,” She nodded.

“Christine, since you are now the one talking, why don’t you share something with us as well?” Leni encouraged her.

I have already shared anything I wanted to tell them. I missed my children even more and also my grandchildren. I cannot wait to play with them once they grow up. I only hope I still exist at that point.

I sighed, sat down and listened to the next sharer.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Please see a pediatrician if you have worries about your baby’s development or if he/she continues to experience newborn reflexes beyond the normal period as this may be a sign of a nervous system dysfunction.

One of our pediatricians may perform exams that can help determine if your baby

If your baby was born prematurely, don’t compare his or her development to that of full-term newborns. Premature babies are usually behind full-term babies in terms of development.

Sucking Reflex: experiences

abnormal

infant

reflexes

as

well.

Initiated when something touches the roof of an infant's mouth. Babies have this strong reflex which assures latching onto the mother’s breast or baby bottle. This reflex is responsible for oral stimulation.

Begins by about 32 weeks months

old

(s

the

infant's

inside the mother's womb; disappears at 6-7

brain

develops

and

matures

and

the

infant's

movements become more voluntary and controlled).

Absence sucking at birth indicates sickness, persistence beyond 7 months developmental delay.

placing a nipple (breast or bottle), clean finger, or pacifier inside the baby's mouth. If the reflex has fully You can test a baby's sucking reflex by

developed,

the

baby

should

place

their

lips

around

the

item

and

then

rhythmically squeeze it between their tongue and palate.

Rooting Reflex

The babies respond to anything that touches their cheek or side of their mouth by turning their heads towards the direction of stimuli and opening their mouth for feeding.

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THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

A rooting reflex usually starts to develop around 28 to 30 weeks; disappears in about 4th month. A premature baby may start sucking before this time, but be

unable

to

find

your

breast.

A

premature

baby

may

need

to

be

fed

intravenously, or via a feeding tube, or by finger feeding. A plan for feeding will be a guide of Doctors and nurses until the babies are ready to be breastfed.

You can test your baby's rooting reflex by

mouth.

gently stroking their cheek or

They should turn their head in response to the touch, or look like

they're “rooting” from side to side. If you're concerned your baby isn't rooting properly, talk to their pediatrician.

Moro Reflex Also called startle reflex.

Infants respond to sudden sounds or movements by throwing their arms and legs out, and their heads back. Most infants will usually cry when startled and proceed to pull their limbs back into their bodies.

In a varying degree, the expected observation in a moro reflex is from birth or its first month and disappears by 4 months and is completely gone by 6th month.

Absence of the Moro reflex in an infant is abnormal. Absence on both sides suggests damage to the brain or spinal cord. On the other hand, ‌ If your baby's Moro reflex doesn't go away after six months, this could be a sign of other problems such as a delay in the development of their motor skills or cerebral palsy.

The Moro reflex is tested by gently positioning a baby in a seated stance with the head supported. The professional administering the test lets the baby's head drop backwards slightly, and then catches the head before it hits the pillow or mat behind it.

Blinking Reflex Happens when infants blink because of an object near their eyes or a light.

Some researchers have suggested that the reduced blinking rate in newborns is due to an underdeveloped dopamine system.

Immediately after birth and last to lifetime.

It can be elicited by shining a strong light (e.g. flashlight, otoscope light, etc.) on the eyes. Blink reflex can also be elicited by a sudden movement of an object

towards

the

eye.

This

is

important

in

assessing

newborns’

visual

attentiveness.

PRECURSOR TO VOLUNTARY GRASPING Babies will grasp/hold anything that is placed on their palm. Thes strength is strong and most babies can support their entire weight in their grip.

Observed from birth to 5-6 months old.

To elicit the reflex, the infant is laid in a symmetrical supine and comfortable position while he or she is awake. The examiner strokes the palm of the infant with his or her index finger. The response to this stimulus comprises two phases: finger closure and clinging.

your baby's central nervous system (CNS) hasn't taken enough control for the reflex to become a voluntary movement. It may also indicate spastic A palmar reflex that isn't integrated by 6 months of age may signal that

cerebral palsy or other damage to your baby's CNS.

Page | 35

THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

Babinski Reflex also called the plantar reflex

When the sole of the foot is firmly stroked, the big toe bends back toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out.

Happens naturally from 6 months to 2 years old.

The Babinski reflex is a response to stimulation of the bottom of the foot. It can help doctors evaluate a neurological problem in people over age 2.

If your child has this reflex and doesn't show any other signs of neurological problems, however, there's probably no need to worry.

When the Babinski reflex is present in a child older than 2 years or in an adult,

it is often a sign of a central nervous system disorder. The central nervous system

includes

the

brain

and

spinal

cord.

Disorders

may

include:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig disease)

REFERENCES: Newborn Reflexes | Pediatrics | Detroit Medical Center Sucking Reflex in Newborns: Testing, Seeking Help, and Other Reflexes.

Rooting Reflex in Newborns: What It Is and Why It Develops Neonatal Reflexes | Definition & Patient Education Baby Grasp Reflex: Palmar vs. Plantar, in Adults, More Newborn Reflexes: Nursing Assessment and Care Babinski reflex: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

ACTIVITY 3 Identify the reflex being described.

Grasping Reflex 1. Babies will grasp anything that is placed in their palms. The strength of this grip is strong, and most babies can support their entire weight in their grip.

Curling Reflex 2. When the inner sole of a baby's foot is stroked, the infant responds by curling his or her toes. When the outer sole of a baby's foot is stroked, the infant will respond by spreading out their toes.

Startle/Moro Reflex 3. Infants will respond to sudden sounds or movements by throwing their arms and legs out, and throwing their heads back. Most infants will usually cry when startled and proceed to pull their limbs back into their bodies.

Galant Reflex 4. The galant reflex is shown when an infant's middle or lower back is stroked next to the spinal cord. The baby will respond by curving his or her body toward the side which is being stroked.

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THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

Tonic Neck Reflex 5. The tonic neck reflex is demonstrated in infants who are placed on their abdomens. Whichever side the child's head is facing, the limbs on that side will straighten, while the opposite limbs will curl.

xelfeR kceN cinoT .5 xelfeR tnalaG .4 xelfeR oroM/eltratS .3 xelfeR gnilruC .2 xelfeR gnipsarG .1

YEK REWSNA

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES As a caretaker for a newborn, you should expect responses such as the Babinski reflex, grasp reflex, rooting reflex, Moro reflex, and step reflex in daily interactions with the baby.

If the infant's toes fan out when the foot is stroked, this is a Babinski reflex; if the reaction is missing, it is recommended to examine the baby. Babinski Abnormal signs may be caused by a variety of conditions, including spinal cord damage or tumor, stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

If the Moro reflex is absent or aberrant, it is recommended that a newborn get a shoulder X-ray. The newborn must be examined because numerous conditions

may

arise,

including

brain

damage,

spinal

cord

injury,

and

branchial plexus injury in the shoulder.

If a newborn is stimulated by a momentary flash of light or puff of air, the infant must blink. It is recommended that you place a spotlight in your infant's eyes in order to test if there’s conditions in infant’s eyes.

Every parent must do and attempt a step reflex test, which involves holding the infant upright and softly touching the baby's feet to a surface. Stepping to a surface is a natural reaction for a baby.

If

the

nipple

immediately.

touches A

mother

the

roof

must

of

make

the

baby's

an

attempt

moth, to

it

begins

assist

her

sucking

infant

in

coordinating the rhythms of sucking, breathing, and swallowing.

In the mouth, place a clean gloved finger, bottle teets, or dummy; if the suck response

is

weak,

clinical

implications

may

follow,

such

as

premature

newborns often have a weak suck reflex.

If the reflexes are absent or are not equally strong, it may indicate a problem with the infant's central nervous system; thus, it is recommended to see your doctor and the baby about the lack of reflexes.

Page | 37

THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

It is important that all parents be aware of these reflexes in order for an infant to get immediate treatment.

Reflexes are important, it determines if the baby's brain and nervous system are functioning properly.

By holding the baby in the armpits and making their feet touch the surface of the ground. The parents must do this few out of ten times, this activity shows that the baby’s brain understands the motions that they’ll need to walk.

There

are

moro

reflex

exercises

that

can

help

integrate

this

reflex,

the

“starfish” exercise can help up to 90% of the people who don't have an integrated moro reflex.

REFERENCES https://wehavekids.com/parenting/Why-Babies-Have-Reflexes-and-WhatCan-Happen-If-Things-Go-Wrong https://www.tenethealth.com/healthy-living/corporate-content/newbornreflexes#:~:text=Why%20Are%20Reflexes%20Important%3F,in%20the%20cen tral%20nervous%20system https://slideplayer.com/slide/4418345/ https://www.toolstogrowot.com/blog/2016/01/11/primitive-motor-reflexestheir-impact-on-a-childs-function https://www.healthline.com/health/neonatal-reflexes#types

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THE NEWBORN, INFANCY, BABYHOOD/TODDLERHOOD

Page | 39

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“There are children playing in the street who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago”.

- J. Robert Oppenheiner

S

o, I'm supposed to be the next one to tell my story?” I asked while looking at everyone.

“I didn't think I'd be the next!

Lizzie, can you go first? I'm not quite ready.

I'm at a loss for words,” I added it as an excuse

so

I

don’t

have

to

share

a

story,

because I honestly can't think of anything to share yet.

“That's fine, Christine. Imagine you're giving an impromptu speech at school! I remember you were good at that!” Celino cheered for me. “Yes, indeed! We've all heard you're good at making things up on the spot,” Lizzie added, which made everyone agree.

“Fine! I'll begin the story with my childhood and puberty years, which I consider to be the most memorable of my life because I had no responsibilities or problems at the time. I simply play, eat, and study like the other kids.” I started.

“And do you know what makes it even more memorable?” I asked. It was Miguel who dared to talk. “Ahhh! I believe you stepped on a dog’s poop?” Everyone laughed

at

his

joking

remark.

I

made

a

“No way!

It's humiliating that my mother will spank me for being careless,” I answered back.

“But what exactly is it?” Miguel asked. disgusted face and shook my head.

“It became memorable because, at the time, I felt like I was the main character in a movie and my childhood crush was the leading man,”

Page | 40

EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

I continued. All of them laughed and cheered excitedly. I felt my cheeks heating up and turning red, like all my blood went up to my face because of their reactions. I am already old but I can still blush like this! This is more embarrassing!

“As everyone is aware, I am the youngest of four siblings and the only female. I used to adapt to what my brothers were doing. I always wear their clothes which makes me feel comfortable because they are oversized.

Sometimes my brothers don't have any idea that I wore their clothes and Mom hasn’t washed them yet,” I added. “That's terrible! That was something my sister used to do to me,” Joy commented and I answered, “But my brothers never chastise me for it. Aside from that, I enjoy playing games with them, such as basketball, car racing, legos, and a variety of other games geared toward boys.”

Others looked surprised by what I just said. Maybe they did not witness this side

“We had no idea you were so boyish back then,” Miguel said. “Yes, I was. My mom sometimes teases me about having grandchildren, but I just laugh because I'm still a kid and that kind of stuff doesn't matter to me,” I of me.

added

while

remembering

my

memories

with

Mom

who

died

when

I

was

in

“I remember, my family was very supportive. My mom said that it doesn’t matter if I will grow as lesbian, for I will always be her daughter—she’s still going to accept me,” I mentioned while being a little elementary school.

teary-eyed.

“Aw, that’s really a mother’s love,” Lizzie said. “I suddenly miss my mom” Joy mentioned while also being teary-eyed so I continued the story because everyone

“One day while playing piko with my brothers, I noticed a family preparing to move their furniture, fixtures and other household items into the same building we were living in. That only means we have a new neighbor! And I had no idea they'd have a child who would become my leading man in today's story,” I continued my story. is getting emotional.

***

I remember the first time I saw him. Everything seemed to come to a halt. My brothers stopped playing, people passing by on the street stopped walking, and the men carrying their furniture also stopped. My heart was the only thing that didn't stop. It was pounding so hard that I could hear it. I can only see him walking slowly with his hair waving in the wind. He even gave me a lovely smile.

At the time, I thought he was walking towards me and that beaming smile was for me–that is, until everything returned to normal as he said,

“Excuse me po”

and I

discovered that his mother was at my back, calling him to have some merienda. I laughed quietly as he passed by me. I've realized that I've never felt anything like that before, and it's mind-boggling!

Page | 41

EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

The following day, my mother instructed me to purchase soy sauce and vinegar. I noticed him again as I walked outside. He was engaged in a game called piko. It was the same game I was playing with my brothers. However, he does not play it correctly, which bothers me. As a result, I approached him and advised him on how to play it correctly. He listened to me until I forgot we were having fun and I

“Christine! Where's the soy sauce and vinegar?” I answered, “Sorry, Mom! I was playing and forgot to buy them.” forgot to buy what mom had asked me.

So I dashed to the store as soon as mom said that. When I returned home, I was astounded to see that kid inside our house with his mother. Not until I discovered

“Is this your unica hija?”

My Mom’s friend asked. “Yes, dear. She’s my baby girl who’s growing faster!” that his mother was a long-time friend of my mother.

Mom answered while caressing my sweaty back. After that day, they always came to our house; having some conversations with mom and doing their favorite things to do when they’re still young.

Because

of

this,

my

friendship

with

Romilo

was

strengthened.

We

were

also

classmates until sixth grade and during those times, I always looked forward to seeing him. We went to school together and of course we went home together; during school breaks, we accompanied each other and even studied together. In fact, he used to tutor me especially in mathematics because I struggled in that subject a lot and because of him, I understood that subject way better. In that sense, I can say we were inseparable which deepens my feelings for him.

Due to that, sometimes our classmates were teasing us. They said we looked good together and kept asking us if there is more than just the friendship label, but I keep telling them that we are just as it is–that we are friends, because we are still young and entering a deeper relationship is not my priority.

Unlike other girls who usually confess their feelings to their crush, I initially had no plans to do the same but as they grew deeper with each passing day, I decided to confess my love on Valentine's day but I was still hesitant to do so. Prior to that, we had intramurals at school and we’re chosen as muse and escort for a school parade. I was getting ready for the parade at the time but Romilo hadn't arrived yet. I was disappointed, even though he had been circumcised a week before and hadn't fully recovered. My fault, I was so self-centered…

But then he surprised me! He still came with me as my escort. I was overjoyed!

Because I felt like a princess with him as my prince.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course, I am,” he answered happily. However, I still want to show that I was worried. “Isn't it painful because it’s only been a week since you went for a circumcision?” I asked and he answered, “I promise that I’m really okay! Let’s enjoy the parade.” I shut my mouth as he assured me that.

I asked Romilo.

On Valentine’s day, I was ready to express my feelings for Romilo as I already have

enough

courage.

Later

that

day,

I

saw

Romilo

purchasing

flowers

and

candies. My heart was pounding really fast as I imagined myself accepting those gifts in a perfect time to confess my feelings. But sadly, those imaginations broke my heart as I had no idea he’d give it to his crush. I assumed he'd give it to me or to one of our teachers. That was the first time my heart had been broken. I assumed he didn't have a crush because he never told me. So I rushed home, oblivious to the fact that it was school time. The guard even told me to return but I didn't.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

As I returned home, I cried and reminisced on the best memories we had, such as playing piko, puzzles, tagu-taguan, studying together, and many other things. I was upset and I can't accept the truth. After what happened, I never approached Romilo again. I had been avoiding him for over a week. Not until an embarrassing event happened to me. One day at school, I was not feeling well, so I just napped while our teacher was still not in class. When the teacher arrived and as I stood up to properly greet her, my classmates in the back bursted out laughing. I was not sure what's funny for them to laugh at, and then I realized Romilo was covering my back with his jacket. When I asked him why, he said,

have a period.”

When

I

heard

him

embarrassment.

say

that,

Fortunately,

I

ran

there

to

the

were

girl's

restroom

sanitary

and

napkins

“I think you

cried

available

out in

of the

restroom, so I was able to get used to it for the first time. As I walked out, I took a deep breath and tried to forget everything that had happened. Then I noticed Romilo

standing

there–waiting

approached me and asked.

for

me

but

I

ignored

him.

Nonetheless,

he

“Are you okay?” I said yes, and ran away from him.

I think Romilo was worried for me. He waited for me outside. I tried to ignore him but he still approached me. Oh, Christine, what did you do?

***

“I realized I had severed my friendship with him after discovering he had another crush. It's as if I can't accept that he doesn't like me back . And as a child, I cannot lie to myself and I must say, I was missing him and all the memories we had shared since we were kids. I miss how he always taught me mathematics, how we used to play together, and many other things we used to do, because after that we no longer went to school together and we never did our assignments together,” I continued.

“It's as if I've lost a friend but I don't care because my feelings are what only matter to me; I was hurt, and I no longer want him. I didn't talk to him until we graduated from elementary school and he was the same. Despite the fact that they usually come to our house, because I just went to my room and hid.”

I looked at my friends.

“You must be broken-hearted, Christine,” said

Lizzie which made me go back

“Yes, I was heartbroken. I realized I had a boyish personality when I was in my early to late childhood stage and began to act like a girl because my feelings for him grew stronger. I remember when we were in high school, he finally had his first girlfriend by the age of fourteen and I was jealous, which distracted me from my goal of studying harder, so I asked my mom to transfer me to another school. After that, my heart healed and I completely forgot about my feelings for him.” to reality and realized I was still with my friends.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

“Wow! I'm fascinated by your childhood story. I wish we could hear Romilo's point of view too.” Miguel teased me after my long story. “But I can also tell you that,” I answered, which made him ask. “Huh? What? How?” while laughing.

“Simply because before we got married he told me everything.” For the ninth time everyone cheered their hearts out. “I didn’t expect that!” Lizzie said, looking shocked.

“He expressed his confusion about what was going on with me.

He was also saddened because he felt he had lost a friend. He wanted to approach me, but I always ran away, so he stopped, because we were both thinking about our feelings at the time. It is as if ‘if he won’t talk to me, I don't care and I, too, won’t approach him again.’ As a result, he also distanced himself from me and moved to the province with his family. After ten years, we finally met again, reconnected as friends and began to discuss things and empathize with each other. We were remembering our past and began to laugh at it because we were very childish on how we handled things, until we fell in love and decided to marry. Now, we've got two grown-up princesses,” I smiled as I remembered my daughters.

I explained,

“I believe we really are meant to be together,” I told them with a smile plastered on my face. “Wow! Your story has left me in awe. I can't believe fictions can be true!” Celino commented which earned a laugh from everyone. “Now I really want to hear Lizzie, since she’s been drinking coffee the moment she sat on her chair!” I said to finally divert their attention away from me. I already told them enough stories and in fact, Romilo has been messaging me, asking if I was okay and what time I will be coming home because he was going to prepare our dinner, so I have to reply to him first.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Early childhood is a phase of life that is usually defined as birth to year 8, it is a time of tremendous growth across all areas of development whereas — the Late childhood

period

spans

the

ages

between

early

childhood

and

adolescence

which is characterized by more purposeful, industrious behavior when compared to earlier stages.

Children’s social skills improve rapidly and this is very apparent in their increasing social play with peers. Play is essential to a child's growth and development because it contributes to their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social wellbeing. If a child is not exposed to any kind of play and has not had early experience

of

healthy

play

may

overdo

the

play

process

or

may

simply

not

understand what is going on.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

It can be a factor in the late growth and development of a child, especially the development

of

motor

skills

and

cognitive

skills.

According

to

the

American

Academy of Pediatrics (2007), unstructured play is an integral part of a child’s development. It builds creativity, problem-solving skills, and social relationships.

Play allows children the opportunity to directly experience and sense the world around them.

These are the different types of play that helped us grow and learn as a child and helped get us where we are today;

Non-social Activity - also known as Solitary play or Onlooker play. The child plays on his or her own.

Parallel play - a form of limited social participation where children play near each other but do not interact with one another or children do not try to influence each other’s behavior.

Associative

play

-

children

play

near

each

other

and

may

interact

by

exchanging toys but are engaged in separate activities.

Cooperative play - children play together to accomplish the same thing such as building sand castles or moving together like a train.

Functional play - these are simple and repetitive motor movements with or without objects such as running, going up and down a flight of stairs, and throwing a ball back and forth each other.

Constructive play - children create or construct something like building things with blocks, putting together a puzzle and working on an art activity.

Make-believe play - this type of play engages children in acting out everyday or imaginary roles like playing teacher or acting out a movie or television character.

Puberty is the short period between late childhood and adolescence. It is a phase of rapid growth, at the end of which the body reaches reproductive maturity. It is also

a

time

of

rapid

brain

development

and

identity

formation,

with

many

emotional and physical changes for both boys and girls. In girls, the first signs of puberty is usually breast development, then hair grows in the public area and armpits, and the menstruation period usually happens last. In boys, puberty usually begins with the testicles and penis getting bigger, then the hair grows in the public area and armpits, the muscles grow, the voice deepens, and facial hair develops as puberty continues.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

ACTIVITY 4 Identify what type of play is being described.

Non-social Activity 1. This is also known as Solitary play or Onlooker play. The child plays on his or her own.

Parallel play 2. This is a form of limited social participation where children play near each other but do not interact with one another or children do not try to influence each other’s behavior.

Associative play 3. This is one form of true social participation wherein children play near each other and may interact by exchanging toys but are engaged in separate activities.

Cooperative play 4. Another form of true social participation or a more advanced type of interaction where children are engaged toward a common goal. Children play together to accomplish the same thing such as building sand castles or moving together like a train.

Functional play 5. These are simple and repetitive motor movements with or without

objects

such

as

running,

going

up

and

down

a

flight

of

stairs,

and

throwing a ball back and forth each other.

Constructive play 6. This is a type of play where children create or construct something like building things with blocks, putting together a puzzle and working on an art activity.

Make-believe play 7. This type of play engages children in acting out everyday or imaginary roles like playing teacher or acting out a movie or television character. yalp eveileb-ekaM .7 yalp evitcurtsnoC .6 yalp lanoitcnuF .5 yalp evitarepooC .4 yalp evitaicossA .3 yalp lellaraP .2 ytivitcA laicos-noN .1

YEK REWSNA

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Find a perfect type of play for your child According to studies, play is important in the development of a child because it contributes to their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. Also, Different children have different kinds of development, so finding the right kind of play

for

children

is

a

must.

Play

can

be

a

factor

in

a

child's

growth

and

development, especially in Motor Skills and Cognitive development.

In motor skills, It is the ability of a child to develop the movement of his or her body; So, Play can be a guide to the child to move his arms, legs or movement of hands or a starting point of development of muscle and connection of it to the brain.

In Cognitive Development, Cognitive skills

develop slowly as a child matures

and interacts with the environment. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics

(2007),

development.

It

unstructured builds

play

creativity,

is

an

integral

problem-solving

part

of

skills,

a

child’s

and

social

relationships.

There is a lot of development from the play- plays allow children to directly experience and sense the world around them. Like outdoor activities, while doing so, they may collect objects that they come across and develop lifelong interests and hobbies.

For Early Childhood support

for

During this stage, Ensure the quality of childcare and

development

-

Stimulate

the

opportunities

for

home

learning

to

improve cognitive, socioemotional, and language development. Different types of plays can help [Parallel, Associative, Cooperative, Function, Constructive and Make-Believe play]

which

be

played

even

indoors

also

known

as

Non-Social

Activities/Solitary Activities, or outdoors.

Late Childhood to Puberty - The

period from the age of '7 to 12 years. The signs

of puberty usually begin to appear in this stage. It is also known as elementary school-age, troublesome age, gang age, and play age. The late childhood period is characterized by more purposeful, industrious behavior when compared to earlier stages. Playing is not just playing for them, it needs to be playing with learning since during late childhood they are now engaged in school. We need a lot of developmental tasks: Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary games Practice getting along with age-mates Practice developing fundamental skills in reading and writing Guide the child to achieve personal independence since it is a transition for puberty which has a lot of responsibility on self

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

It is important to know that Development is Sequential and Growth and Development are different from person to person Development and Growth are sequential, there is stages or sequence to follow; it is not one-night development like if you age three it is required that you know how to speak clearly but it is sequential and there is no limited age for each development except to the growth or we called puberty which has a limitation if he or she meets the final development for that. Puberty is when your body goes from looking like a kid's into looking more like a grown-up's. It starts at age 11 in women and 12 in men. But the facing of puberty is not the same for every child or a different person to person. Some are ahead and those who are behind But that's normal because the puberty stage is from the age of 8 to 14.

Support from family, friends, or someone is a must during this stage [Early Childhood, Late Childhood & Puberty] Loving, guiding, supporting, and responsive relationships are important. Children can

learn

how

to

react,

explore,

know,

think,

understand,

communicate

and

develop social skills if they start the practice of development at home. During the play stage transition to late childhood to puberty, it is confusing and hard to accept therefore the support from family is important, especially for clarification and guidance on how to handle a development [like menstruation for girls]

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EARLY CHILDHOOD, LATE CHILDHOOD, AND PUBERTY

Page | 49

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Adolescence is a new birth, for the higher and more completely traits are now born”.

-G. Stanley Hal

L

izzie, the fiesta queen!” eyes

at

definitely

Marvin’s knew

he

I rolled my

remark.

Oh,

I

wouldn’t

miss

a

chance teasing me this!

“Ha! Remember back in our time, you would always ask us to go to fiestas? And, and, and.. you used to go on a date every weekend. Who would have thought that you would become an old single lady?”

Celino

said

Everybody

not

holding

laughed

at

back

his

his

teasing.

thoughts.

I

would

definitely punch this old man hadn’t he been my friend!

“Oh you, don’t start with me!” while

sipping

because

they

on

my

knew

I

coffee, was

I answered

they

irritated

laughed by

their

sudden flashback story. And just like that, I was the center of attention.

“But do we all realize that parents play an important role in the development of a child? This might be random, but I think this is the reason why I decided not to build my own family.” Now that I caught their attention, I decided to share my story with them.

“Well, additionally, I stood as a parent to my brother for as long as I can remember!”

I added, and started reminiscing about the time when I was still living a worry-free life with my parents.

***

“Lizzie, where are you going?”

my

mom

asked when she saw me changing my dress a couple of times now.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

“With my friends, there is a fiesta in town,” I simply replied, still can’t decide what to wear. “But today is Saturday, it is supposed to be a family day!” my mom reminded me. “I know mom, but can I just miss this family day this time?

Please, I wanted to hang out with my friends after an exhausting week at school,” I looked at my mom through the mirror and gave her puppy eyes.

“Okay then, bring your brother with you, and promise me you’ll be home at 7 in the evening!”

“Okay, I promise to be home at 7 PM sharp. But, mom! John is just an eightyear-old boy. The place is still not suitable for him,” I reminded mom just in case she forgot that my brother is still young to go to fiestas. Or maybe I just don’t want to look after him? I laughed at my own thoughts. Mom, however, agreed that John must not go with me.

My friends and I would often go to fiestas in town or other barrios because it's fun to meet new people and socialize with them, just like what normal teenagers would do. I was dancing with my suitor when I remembered my curfew. It is already quarter to seven, I have to go or else… I don’t even want to think about that ‘or else’ I have to go this instant!

I forgot to bid goodbye to my friends, but it doesn’t matter now because I only have 10 minutes before my curfew. I am supposed to go on a family picnic today but I insisted that I have other plans, so at least, I don’t want to anger my parents even more by going home past my curfew. When I got to our house, it was already 15 minutes late! I am doomed. I tip-toed, hoping that my parents, who were watching the television in the living room, would not notice me.

“Lizzie! What

time is it?” my dad suddenly spoke when I reached the stairs. He motioned me to go near them using his finger. I am now standing in front of my parents, blocking

“I let you have fun on the condition that you will be home by 7, and you promised to do so, what happened to our deal?” my mom started. “I lost track of time, mom. I’m sorry to have broken my promise,” I whispered the television.

out of guilt.

I slowly looked at my parents and I can see that they are controlling themselves. I

“We were having fun and I lost track of time, it was already a quarter to 7 when I noticed the time,” I explained. This was the first started explaining calmly,

time that I was late, therefore, this is a big deal for them. Most importantly, they value promises that much.

I woke up the other day with a heavy feeling. If it wasn’t for my parents who were knocking at my door, I wouldn’t be moving at all. I let them in, and laid in my bed

“Can we talk again Lizzie? We want you to know that we were just worried, given the fact that you are a girl, you are too precious to us. Most importantly, you promised us, and when you promise something you must keep it, isn’t that what we told you?” my dad said gently. I got up, trying to face them, “I’m sorry mom, dad if I was late.

Though, I won’t promise I will not do it again. As I don’t want to break promises anymore,” I giggled softly and apologized sincerely. “Haha! Silly girl.

On a serious note, always remember that it is never good to not keep your promises. I am glad that you realize your mistakes, and you now know the value of promises,” I nodded. We spent the rest of the weekend in our backyard again, covering myself with the blanket.

to have our traditional family picnic

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

***

“Makes me think, the parenting style of your parents is, what do you call that? Oh, Authoritative! They are firm but flexible. Hmm, I commend them for respecting your side, but they were also able to maintain boundaries,” Tricia stated while a lighting bulb seemed to have appeared above her head.

***

It's Monday again. I went to school and saw my classmates all eyes on their notebooks. Oh, shoot! I forgot that we will be having a Math quiz and I still haven't even reviewed it. Our Math teacher entered the room with her serious eyes. My hands are literally shaking in nervousness. I don't know what to do, but at the same time I don't want to fail. My parents would be disappointed. Therefore, I cheated, and unfortunately got caught! I am doomed. I was asked to bring my parents tomorrow. I grunt outside the office to release my stress, mom and dad would be disappointed, that’s for sure! I'm afraid to get scolded so I decided not to tell them.

The next day, I asked my friends to cut classes with me as I am ashamed of what happened yesterday. Even though my parents don't allow me to drink alcoholic beverages just because they believe it is not decent for a girl to drink, I still did it regardless! It's cool and my friends are doing it, so why not?

***

“Hahaha! Lizzie, the rebel girl! Living young, wild, and free huh? Is that what youngsters say nowadays?” Felicia said while clapping her hands.

“Living young, and wild, and free–that’s my apo’s favorite song!”

Marvin

dared to sing that Gen Z song.

“Haha! Yes, actually. I lived freely, however, under pressure. How ironic that I try so hard not to disappoint them, but I often end up finding myself in the worst situation!” As I recall my teenage years. The cold breeze and the warmth of the bonfire were both fitting to the mixed emotions that I am feeling.

***

I

went

home

and

to

my

horror,

Ma'am

Grace

is

there

sipping

coffee

and

"Where were you, Lizzie?" My dad asked with authority. "I went to my friend’s house. We finished a project due today." I lied. comfortably

sitting

on

our

couch

in

front

of

my

parents.

"Is that so?" Mom said with her squinting eyes. "Ma'am Grace here just told us of your cheating offense, and you didn't care to tell us?" Mom said, trying her best to stay calm. Well, that's her because she doesn't want to raise her voice at

"And when did you learn how to cut classes?" She added. "We will talk later after our conversation with Ma'am Grace. Now, head to your room." I obliged and locked myself in my room. "Face the consequences, Lizzie," I said us.

to myself.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

After a few minutes, I heard a knock on the door. I knew it was my parents so I

"Care to explain to us what happened, Lizzie?" Mom asked calmly.

"I was afraid to fail the quiz. I forgot to review so I resorted to copying my seatmate's answer. I'm sorry, mom and dad." I explained. "Why did you cut class? And you smell like beer. Did you drink? We talked about this, Lizzie!"

Dad said with his voice raised. "Isn't it obvious? I'm avoiding the situation. I knew that you would scold me. I just wanted to escape the situation and relax for a short time." I reasoned out. "Did that escape and relaxation you are talking about did good to you?" Dad said not toning down his voice. "You know that things like these have consequences, right?" I nodded just taking every scolding from them. "You will be grounded for 3 days! Take that time to reflect on your actions," Dad added. "I'm really sorry, mom and dad." I apologized with my head down. "Look at me, Sweetie. You are more than this.

We know that and this is for your own good. Please don't misunderstand our decisions," my mom said to calm me. I just nodded and dozed off to sleep after opened it.

they left my room.

***

“I am convinced that your parents must be stressed in handling you back then!” Helen said.

“Is that the reason why you decided not to build a family and raise your own children?” Christine asked me while tapping my back.

“Part of it, yes. But, mostly because…”

I breathe out heavily as I contemplate

“But, first. I assume that you all know both my parents left my brother and I, correct? I was 22 years old, while John was just 12 years old,” I saw them nod their heads. on whether I have the energy to share everything.

*** Our parents died in an accident, I was lost for a while because of the tragedy. I had no idea where to begin again. I had no choice but to look after my brother. I served as his mother and father, I did everything I could just for us to survive. John is my one and only motivation to fix my life and keep going. I ended my vices. I took my academics seriously. As a result, I graduated with flying honors. A lot of companies were offering me high-level positions, since I am a capable and suitable employee to fill them. To keep my longing for my parents, I invested my entire life in my profession and at the same time, I strictly looked after John. I spent my weekdays at my office, entertaining clients, creating designs, checking up on the machines, and going home late just to sleep.

“Ate, I got a perfect score!” My brother walked into my office and showed me his test papers. “As you should, be like me, I am always at the top of everything,” then I continued doing my paperworks.

Months have passed and I realized I was pressuring my brother. I felt that he was suffering from socializing and he became scared of committing failures, because I wanted him to become successful like me. He did nothing but to make me proud, yet I didn't offer him my time, attention, and affection. He looked up to me, while I looked down on him. It was as if I became an Authoritarian parent. I didn't plan it to be this way.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

I had no idea that I was being a harsh sister to him. Our parents said that promises are meant to be fulfilled. Starting today, I promise to make things right. I won’t forget that, mom and dad. You have my words, I thought to myself.

As John and I sat in this field covered in a piece of clothing, surrounded by a variety of food, I seized the chance to speak with my brother. We still practice our traditional picnic every weekend, though we miss it a lot of times now. I then

“It’s been awhile since we did this. How are you? Are you pressured because of me? Am I being too much to you? Come on, be honest and tell me.” I asked him gently. A silence filled the gap between us. decided to start talking,

Pain was visible in his eyes. The silence he gave me answered my questions.

“I am sorry for not knowing it too soon. I know you are pressured, that's why you started distancing yourself from others. I now understand your struggles. I pressured you to become like me, you have always been trying to impress me, it might not be obvious, but for me, your existence is enough.

Ever since mom and dad left us, I had no clue how to support you, how to be emotionally available for you. I get tired of this life. But, you give me strength and the motivation to wake up every day. I want you to know, my brother, that you are enough; don't shut yourself up merely to appease me.

Do whatever makes you happy, and I will always be here to support you."

He hugged me and I heard him sobbing on my shoulders. I rubbed his back, but he

“I love you, Ate! Thank you for filling the empty gap that was left by mom and dad,” He whispered. “I love you, Brother, I always will.

I’ll be better this time. I may not be as caring as mom and as cool as dad, but I will keep the promise to take care of you like my own child!" just cried even more.

***

“Wow, it was now that I realized that you are also a parent, Liz! A parent to your brother, John. Funny how your parents were Authoritative, and you were once an Authoritarian. That is amazing!” Joy said with amusement visible in her eyes.

“Oh, no, don’t flatter me with your kind words, Joy. I just fulfilled my promise to look after my brother. I can say that there were no regrets, despite not having my own family. It has been my choice ever since. I am content with my life.”

“How is he now?” Leni asked.

“Well, John now has a big and lovely family of his own. My sacrifices for him paid off just by seeing him become a responsible head of his family, seeing my nephews and nieces become successful in their chosen fields. I may not have a husband and children of my own, I am still full of love because they never failed to make me feel that I am part of their family. I know that our parents are proud of us, of the adults that we became.” I answered.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

“When a tragic event happened to our parents, we were lost. I didn’t know how to get up every day knowing that they were gone, but I had to push myself because John needed me. He needs to see me strong and smiling because he had no one aside from her sister. And I have no regrets because here we are right now. If the Greatest Creator will decide to take me back to Him tomorrow, I will gladly come with Him for I know that my family here will be doing just fine. I am already old and have spent fun years of my life, but if I will be gone I want my last view to be with my brother and his family, because they are my everything. They are my treasure and the love of my life.”

“That is truly heartfelt, Liz! We are proud of you.” Tricia wiped her tears. What an emotional old lady, she hasn't changed at all!

“From the rebel Lizzie, to a responsible ‘parent’ Liz!” They cheered at Celino’s remark. These people never seem to get tired, do they?

“Thank you for sharing, Liz!” They uttered.

“Miguel it’s your turn now! We miss hearing your stories, might as well do it today!” Everyone agreed as I turned my attention to Miguel.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Adolescence It is a phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from ages 10 to 19 years of age which is also considered a unique stage of human development and an important time for laying the foundation of good health. They might experience rapid

physical,

cognitive,

and

psychological

growth

at

this

stage.

Teenagers

become less possessive with their friends but they’re more preferred to spend their time and share their innermost thoughts with them compared to their family members. They will also start to look for friends that whom they have similar interests, passions, personalities, or even ethnicity. For them, mutual affirmation and faithfulness, and are more dependent on companionship and intimacy which is the most important, because the two individuals start with their knowledge, experience,

and

thoughts.

Girls

may

have

more

intimate

and

extended

relationships compared to boys.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

There are benefits to having a friendship during this stage, these are: Provide opportunities to explore the self and develop a deep understanding of another.

Adolescents

become

sensitive

to

each

other's

strengths

and

weaknesses,

needs and wants.

They get to know themselves as well as their friends.

Help young people to deal with the stresses of adolescence.

Teenagers

who

have

supportive

friends

feel

less

lonely

and

self-esteem

increases.

Improve adolescents' attitudes toward school.

ACTIVITY 5 1. Choose a big idea from this Module and expand it through internet searches and downloads. Prepare a pamphlet or powerpoint presentation or a movie (movie maker) intended for the parents of preschoolers.

2. The best caregiving style is the authoritative style. From all that you have learned from this week, make a list of 10 qualities that an

teacher should have:

authoritative

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Discipline Strategies Disciplinary strategy not in a form of punishment, but in terms of agreeing and setting appropriate limits and boundaries for adolescents. In other stages of development we also use a range of discipline strategies to teach them how to behave properly, however, now that they are moving on to a crucial stage in their lives nearing adulthood, they have to learn independence, responsibilities, and facing the consequences of their own decisions and actions.

Every teenager needs these sets of skills to become a young adult with their own standards for appropriate behaviour and respect for other people. The important part of this strategy is to stick to the apparent rules, and owning up to the consequences. Teenagers don’t yet have all the skills they need to make all their own decisions, so your agreed limits for behaviour help your child make good choices about how to behave.

Parent-child Time Spend Together The best experience as a parent is when your child treats you as their best friend, you can do fun and exciting things together, talk and share parts of your day with one another, and find your middle ground to effectively bond with your child.

However,

this

is

not

always

the

case,

because

at

some

point,

specifically

adolescence, teenagers seek privacy and space. If they wish to spend more time alone or with friends, allow them, remember that they need their privacy just as much as parents do. Just make an effort to let them know that you are also willing to spend your time with them if they want to.

Helping Your Teen Develop a Positive Self-Identity Teenagers have a lot to figure out including their very self-identity. Their selfimage is often closely tied to the feedback they get from their peers. Therefore, they’ll want to hear about how cool they are from their friends. However, they also value your opinion so make the effort to notice when they act responsibly or with kindness. The way they think and feel about themselves impacts their behavior.

Paying them genuine compliments will help. Show them that you notice more than their appearance by focusing on their wise choices, their creativity or their ability to act as a good friend. Recognizing your teen’s positive qualities encourages them to continue acting in similar ways.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

Finding Ways to Communicate Effectively When your child was younger, they may have been eager to tell you about every little part of their day. It may have been easy to get them to talk about their feelings while playing games. As they become teenagers, they are likely to be less open, not because they are hiding something but because they value their privacy and independence. You may need to change the way you communicate with them if you want to have effective conversations.

It is a good idea to practice active listening. Give your teen your full attention when they’re speaking and focus on the feelings they express. Repeat the key points back to them. Saying something like “I get the impression that this made you sad” helps you avoid misunderstandings. It also helps the teenager to identify and handle their emotions. Respect their opinion even if you don’t agree with their point of view. To create opportunities for communication, you’ll need to be flexible.

Scheduling

quality

time

is

important

since

it

gives

your

child

the

assurance that you are available. Taking any available opportunity to catch up with them also allows for meaningful interaction and building trust.

Teaching Teens Responsible Decision-Making By the time your child enters their teenage years, they will already have some values which they learned from their family, friends, and teachers. However, part of adolescence is about learning to make smart decisions based on personal values. Your child will be faced with choices that test and refine their morals and values. Your teen has a mind of their own, but they still look to you for guidance, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

If you want them to have sound values, you must model the right behaviors. Think about the example you’re setting regarding things like respect for others, honesty, perseverance, and health. In addition, reflecting on ethical dilemmas and leaving questions

open-ended

offers

your

teen

valuable

practice

in

thinking

through

actions and consequences. They get an opportunity to practice applying those values to real-life problems they might face.

Ensure the Consequences Match the Action If your teenager goes to a party even though you told them not to, grounding them may be an appropriate response. However, if they didn’t study for a test and they

got

a

poor

grade,

that’s

a

natural

consequence.

No

additional

parent

consequences are needed but reflecting on it together can help a teen think through what happened and how they might make changes the next time.

How can they repair the damage that they’ve caused whether it’s a broken chair or a broken friendship? Ask them for ideas on how they can mend the relationship and then, support them in following through. This teaches them how to take responsibility for their actions and it takes bravery. Your guidance and support through this process can go a long way in showing them how to make up for their poor choices.

Let the Small Things Go If your child’s action or belief doesn’t hurt them or anyone else, don’t focus on it too much. If they wear their hair in a way you don’t like, as long as it is not inappropriate for school or another setting, avoid fussing about it. Focus on the bigger issues which really affect their growth and development.

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ADOLESCENCE, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Infants and toddlers are born ready to learn.

They learn through listening to language, trying out sounds, and tasting foods and exploring their environments in countless ways everyday”.

- Kahlil Gibran

M

iguel, it’s your turn now! We miss hearing your stories, might as well do it today!” said Lizzie.

“Do you still remember when we used to do group study when our exams were about to come?” Christine asked, then suddenly all of my friends’ attention was on me. said

“Yes, it is still clear in my memory,” as

I

reminisced

the

moment

we

I

had

together when we were college students.

“We always say that no one should be left behind when it comes to studying and we always aim to have high grades in our class, right?” I told them what we used to say when we were still college students.

“Yes, I almost believed that was your life motto! ‘No one should be left behind and no grades should be left below” Tricia snorted and imitated me back in the day. We laughed in unison because of her remark.

“One time, during our school’s festival, we were chosen to be one of the contestants for the debate, and it was a great opportunity for me to join in that kind of contest because it will help develop my skills and selfconfidence.”

I rolled my eyes and continued,

“I remember that! You were competitive!” Marvin exclaimed.

hella

“Yes, I was,” I chuckled and added, “aside from being academically active, I also participated in curricular activities."

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

"My dad used to teach me his techniques in playing chess which helped me win every competition I joined in our school. I became known as ‘the chess master’ because of my outstanding skills in the sport. Most of my schoolmates admire my skills in this sport. They always show their support whenever I have a contest, and in return I teach them how to play chess and give them techniques that they can use as well.”

“I tried joining MTAP to sharpen my problem-solving skills. My mathematical talents had improved and it fed my curiosity about Mathematics. A lot of people believe in my academic ability which is why I always focus on my goal, striving, studying harder, and winning a school contest.”

I

continued

narrating

to

my

friends,

“Yeah, we’re in the same MTAP class, Migs!” Carmen replied.

“When I entered college, there were times that I felt stressed because of the overwhelming workloads. One time, when my parents called me to ask if I was adjusting just fine to college life, I unintentionally raised my voice at them and because of what I did, I know what will happen next. My parents scolded me for what I did and they told me that I shouldn't do it again. They advised me to have breathing exercise as it helps in reducing stress and will make me calm.”

I looked at her and smiled as I went on to my story,

“I gave my best in college and it paid off when I graduated with flying colors. I am an electronic engineering graduate. After graduation, I tried to apply to some of the well known engineering companies and fortunately I landed a job at WANSIX Company.”

They all listened attentively, craving more to what I was about to say,

“It was my day off at work when I decided to have time for myself. I went out and tried to unwind when faith played its card and I met this beautiful woman. From the day I met her, I knew she was the one. I courted her for months and dated for 7 years before I decided to ask her hand in marriage and build a family together. I thought the happiest moment of my life was when I married her, but I was wrong. When we were blessed with an adorable baby boy, that moment was the happiest moment of my life.” I saw my friends smile. Some put their hands on their chests and some facepalmed. Oh, these romantic souls. I thought.

“When my wife gave birth to our son, we named him Lorenz. We were very happy to finally welcome him into this world. There is nothing I could wish for aside from having a healthy and happy family. It was heartwarming to see my wife and son waiting for me to come home, after a long tiring day at work.” They all nodded.

I continued,

“But like any other parent, raising a baby was a struggle at first. As new parents, we were not used to the crying noises of babies, everything was new to us. Every single minute he wanted to drink milk even if his mother already breastfed him but all the struggles were worth it when we saw him smiling for the first time. When he was one month old, he started to grasp.

We were so emotional when he first held our hands, it felt like an angel touched us as well.

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

"As months passed by, we taught him basic things appropriate for his age, for example the nursery song ‘close open’. He was so adorable because he can easily understand the song as he starts to close and open his tiny little hands.”

The 11 of them also opened and closed their hands as they heard me mention it.

They noticed I saw them and we giggled in unison.

“One day, when I got home from work, his mom told me that he wanted us to give our attention to him. He did everything to get our attention that night so he could show us what he learned that day. I remember the first time he ate. His mom fed him a portion of solid food and he wanted to get the spoon from his mom so she gave it to him. He took a small amount of solid food on his own, and he played with the spoon. It was a disaster but definitely a fun moment for first-time parents like us.”

I added,

“I taught and guided my son how to walk. I even bought a walker that he can use as a support as he learns to walk. We were happy to see him enjoying the walker that I bought for him. I also used to give him educational toys like blocks, flashcards and puzzles to exercise his young mind,” I smiled as I remembered him.

“It was a mixed emotion to see that my son is growing up too fast. We enrolled Lorenz in school and he immediately showcased his intelligence. I used to see him practicing writing his name ‘Lorenz H. Matteo.’ Lorenz is always excited to go home because he wants us to see the star in his hand as a result of being good in their class. We never had a hard time teaching him because he can easily understand the lesson and he was already smart at his young age. He was a top student and as a proud parent, we never missed his awarding ceremonies to show our support. We always give Lorenz a reward for his hard work, because we believe that a reward helps in the learning of a student, and also it will make him study harder and will serve as his motivation to learn.” I stood up to get a drink for all of them since my story’s getting lengthy.

“My wife died because of coronavirus and Lorenz was 18 years old at that time. It was really hard for him when we lost his mom.” I continue to share.

Frowned faces greeted me.

“How's your relationship with your son?” Marvin asked.

“It was hard to raise my son alone,” I answered as I gave them the drinks one be one. “He started to be a rebel the day her mom died. We used to fight every day because he was not following the rules we have at home. He was always outside with his friends, looking for more affection and belongingness. Despite the fights and my hectic schedule at work I always made sure that I gave him the love and guidance he needed because I know that he was longing for the love of his late mother. One day, I saw him sobbing inside his room. As I entered the room I squatted in front of him and hugged him. I gave him comforting words to lighten up his mood like what his mom would do.” The mother’s spirit was felt inside the circle as the silence lasted for a second; knocking someone for six after uttering those words.

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

I continued sharing significant moments I had with Lorenz after sipping from the

“Lorenz continues to strive in his study and focus on his goal —to be a teacher. After a year or so I saw his improvements. I can say that he was slowly healing and accepting the fact that her mother died and she’s not on his side anymore as he achieved his dream. We always had a misunderstanding before that would last for weeks, but now we always address the problem and it is a great help in keeping a healthy father and son relationship.” drink I am holding.

“What a relief, knowing that Lorenz made it despite the longing of her mother. Healing process really takes time, it is not easy. I'm sure Lorenz is grateful because you were there for her,” Helen replied.

“I raised my son alone after my wife died and I’m thankful that we overcame the problems that my son and I faced. I’m still in disbelief that my baby Lorenz before is now graduating in college with a degree in teaching Social Science. I know his mom is so proud because of his achievements, and no matter what problem he encountered, he will face it with bravery in his heart.” I shared these The story gets lighter as Lorenz aged in the sharing.

words proudly and with eyes glistening with happiness.

As a dad, I always show great support to my son even though sometimes I feel empty, because I also experience financial struggles for Lorenz finances and allowance.” “

“My son Lorenz is one of the biggest foundations in my life today. For almost a year I always asked myself why this happened to us; why my wife passed away. I am sad that she could not see when Lorenz finished his college degree as a teacher,” I added, stating with regret felt in every word he spoke.

Everyone continued to hold their attention to my words; despite the cold breeze

“I am happy right now that I could open up my struggles to other people, because it makes me feel comfortable and more open to what reality is—which is what Lorenz and I are working on and as we continue our lives without his mom.” I put my the story made them felt the comfort and warmth,

hands on my jacket’s pockets, gripped them tighter, and breathed deeply.

“As a dad I am excited for Lorenz to achieve his dream. I realized that even though he experienced a hard time, I see Lorenz continuing his passion as an educator. And I saw in him when I was in my school days, competitive despite various challenges.”

I stated more emotional words which made the company be in dewy-eyes.

“We have witnessed how strong you were when you were the only one who raised your child, Miguel. You weren’t just a dad to your son, Lorenz but also became his mentor, teacher, and especially became her mother all throughout,” Tricia replied.

“As a single dad, I am looking forward to growing and expanding my new experiences together with my son, Lorenz. I always thought that I see myself before with my son, especially with his skill and the way he handles his school work; hopefully he will continue what he started,” I said hopefully.

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

“As I look back, I learned a lot from my experiences from being an achiever, husband and a father. According to Jean Piaget, ‘Experience precedes understanding.’ I believe that because as a husband and a father, I experienced misunderstanding with my son but after what happened I realized that there is a deep reason why we had a misunderstanding.”

As I finished sharing, I noticed that they had already made a mess near the bonfire. I grinned at them and retorted,

just busy munching there?”

“Did you really listen to me or were you

CONCEPT SUMMARY Cognitive Development by Jean Piaget and Socio Cultural by Vygotsky The first part of our discussion is about Piaget's stages of development it is focus to the part of a theory about the phases of normal intellectual development, from infancy through adulthood. This includes judgment, knowledge and thought. Base on this theory, Jean Piaget are also tackle the intellectual development and abilities of infants, children, and teens. Piaget has four stages of intellectual or cognitive development.The first one is the Sensorimotor, it is focused in the birth stage

through

ages

from

18

to

24

months

of

the

baby.

Secondly,

the

pre-

operational stage is focused in the Toddlerhood stage from 18 to 24 months through early childhood at the age of 7. Thirdly, concrete operational the age range of this stage is from 7 to 11 years old.

Lastly, the formal operational which

covers adolescence to adulthood stage. This theory is acknowledged that some children may pass through the stages at different ages than the averages noted above. He also said some children may show characteristics of more than one stage at a given time.

The

second

discussion

about

the

theory

of

Vygotsky.

Base

on

Vygotsky

the

Sociocultural theory stresses the role that social interaction plays in psychological development. It suggests that human learning is largely a social process, with our cognitive functions being formed based on our interactions with those around us who

are

"more

skilled.

The

different

between

cognitive

development

and

sociocultural; is the cognitive development is more focus about the individual level and the sociocultural is more focused in social practices. But both of them have a big role to the development of baby, toddler, adolescence and adulthood.

Because this stages are not just part of our lives, but they also help us to develop our skills, mind, and behavior.

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITY 6 Organize a talk show. Four students volunteer to act as Piaget. Student 1 will be interviewed on stage 1, student 2 on stage 2, student 3 on stage 3, and student 4 on stage 4. The students acting as Piaget should master the stages assigned to them to enable them to answer questions from classmates.

The students should use the pronoun you when they ask the question and the four students acting as Piaget must use pronoun I when they answer the questions.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Tactile Play This

applies

to

children

aged

newborn

to

two

years.

It

promotes

learning

by

fostering exploration, curiosity, problem solving, and creativity. It stimulates and activates a child's senses. It encourages creativity and develops different feelings, motor skills in the child's head by: -preparing art supplies such as paints and clay -teaching kids how to catch and toss a ball - Provide toys with various textures - Introducing toys of various shapes - Toys that make sounds.

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COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Reading Books and Listening to Nursery rhymes An adult should introduce their child to a book with 3D illustrations so that they can visualize the story and feel the textures and shapes. If you show them an object from the story, they will be able to visualize it in real life. For example, if you show them a toy ball from the story, they will be able to visualize what the actual ball looks like. It also helps to sharpen the minds of babies and toddlers by stimulating

their

imaginations

and

allowing

them

to

improve

their

speech

by

listening to stories and songs. Nursery rhymes aid in the recognition of sounds.

Imaginative Play It is applied in the preoperational stage to help children make sense of what they have seen or experienced, as well as to help children know what they want in the future. By doing so, children can imitate people like as teachers, doctors, and other jobs with their friends.

Taking care of child Every

child

needs

someone

to

look

after

them.

Piaget

focus

on

the

child's

development and it's important to give them attention while they're growing, especially when they reach puberty, where teens are prone to making impulsive decisions, which is why it's important to guide, and give them your full attention as this can make them feel loved and secure.

Page | 66

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Page | 67

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“The child begins to perceive the world not only through his eyes but also through his speech”.

- Lev Vygotsky

T

senior

hese old runts… Ugh." as

I

cleaned

up

the

I thought

mess

near

the bonfire.

I can’t believe these people are

citizens

already!

Still

making

a

mess

while eating, still as silly as we were in our college years. Sigh. Why do I even put up with these people? Well, thinking about it, I guess they were the ones to put up with me first.

These people are the ones you had during the tough

times,

Felicia.

Got

to

love

them.

I

thought and chuckled at my thoughts.

Hey, Fely! What are you laughing at?

“

Have

you finally lost it? Aww poor thing!” Miguel teased. I rolled my eyes at his remark.

“Yes, I’ve lost it like how you’ve lost your hairline.” I retaliated sassily. The group laughed at my comeback and continued to tease Miguel about his hairline.

“I can’t believe Miguel just got roasted by Felicia.” Kyla cackled. “Serves you right, Old Man,” Kyla added which Miguel answered with a snort

“That’s enough, Guys, we don’t want to make someone cry tonight,” I said jokingly.

“But actually, Fely, you've become more vocal, especially now. I just noticed that you’re talking a lot more now than before,” Helen. I stared at her not knowing what to say. I decided to look at the others and they all looked as if they were really waiting for me to answer.

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LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

“Uhm, I’ve always been like this? No?” I finally replied.

“Huh?!”

The group said in unison. I laughed at their reactions as they started to

. “Okay! Calm down, Guys. Since you’ve already brought this up, how was I back then?” express their disagreements

“You’re always timid. Although you’d joke from time to time, it’s like you don’t have the energy to talk,” Tricia said.

“Not only that, sometimes you’d even stutter or just stare at us blankly as if you’re having a hard time understanding us. It’s like you have speech dela —” “Hey, that’s not a good thing to say, Carmen.”

Miguel cut off Carmen, the

latter then quickly looked at me to apologize.

“No, it’s okay. I understand why you’ve thought that about me. Sorry, I just remembered how was I back then. Yes, I am usually like that. I’m just really in a tough spot that time since I have to look after my twin who’s actually the one with speech problems. Not me, Guys.” I said which earned me some curious looks.

“You remember my twin, Felicity?” I asked them.

“Oh yeah! The one you look like” Celino.

“Of course, silly, that’s my twin,” I replied. We laughed.

“Well, what if you’re fraternal twins? Hmm?” answered with, “Point taken.”

Celino

challenged

which

I

“How’s Felicity?” Leni followed up.

“She’s good and doing great. She got married and had two daughters. Her speech problems got better, but mind you, it’s been a tough ride.” I stared at my drink.

“Now I’m curious about what happened. Would it be okay if you share this time, Fely?” Lizzie.

“Sure, but it’s not going to be a short story!” I warned them.

“That’s okay! What’s the use of having a reunion if we won’t talk about these kinds of things? Just go on, Fely, we will listen.” I answered Marvin with a warm smile. I looked at the others and they also warmly smiled at me.

“Okay! Hmm, let’s start with when Felicity and I were 5 years old….”

Page | 69

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

“Mr. and Mrs. Isabela, your daughter Felicia has no problems, but with your daughter Felicity, we are informing you that she is diagnosed with a speech delay problem.”

That’s what I heard the doctor say when we went to the hospital when me and my twin,

Felicity,

because

were

Felicity

five

needs

years help

old. since

Mommy she

said

can’t

that

speak

we

went

very

well

to

the

and

doctor

we

don't

understand her sometimes.

I just stared at my parents who were listening to the doctors. I don’t understand what they are saying but I know that it’s about my twin Felicity.

After visiting the doctor, we went home. During our ride home, our parents were silent as if they were thinking really deeply. At the house, we were told to clean up and go to our bed which I helped Felicity with, since I don’t know but she can’t understand what we were saying.

In the middle of my sleep, I felt thirsty so I got up and walked downstairs where I heard my Mom and dad talking loudly while also crying.

“Should I already call for some therapist outside the country, Gerard?” mom wailed. “Our daughter doesn’t deserve this!” Mom continued to cry.

My

“Shh. Calm down, Jess. There are also good doctors here. We’re going to raise them just fine as parents. Let’s just be thankful that it’s not a terminal disease that our Felicity has.” My father tried to console my mom who was bawling her eyes out.

“But it’s still a Speech delay problem! What if she gets bullied because of that? And what about schooling? She’ll have a hard time in a regular school! I have no idea where I went wrong.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Jess. As for the other things that you’ve said, we’ll be the ones to protect our daughters. That is why we are here, we need to help them, guide them.”

After

that,

my

mom

calmed

down

and

noticed

that

I

was

standing

at

the

staircase.

“Felicia? Honey, what— what are you doing here? Do you need something?”

With all I’ve heard I don’t think I can answer her anymore so I just shook my head and went back into our room. That’s when it dawned on me that my Sister has a problem and that she’ll be needing my help. Not too long after that, in the next few days, my mom and dad talked to me about Felicity’s condition. They told me to take care of my sister which is understandable since both of them are working.

Since then I’ve also been curious and very careful with Felicity’s condition.

“Mom, how did you know about Felicity’s condition?” I asked mom while I was trying to color my paper. I saw Felicity look at me from the other side of the room but she didn’t seem to understand what I said and just continued to do what she was doing.

Page | 70

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

“There are signs, Felicia. Aside from that, there are stages that she should have done when you were a baby.”

“Stages like what?” I asked curiously.

“I’ve only known this because I studied it in one of my courses back when I was in school. There should be noises that you and your sister should be making when you are still a baby. Of course, you did it and you didn’t have any problem, but your sister is different.” Mommy explained. “She won’t imitate the words that we are teaching her and won’t also recognize the gestures that we do when she should be at least able to try to babble some words but she won’t do it,” Mommy added.

I just stared at her and tried to process the things she was trying to tell me. As a five-year-old kid, hearing these kinds of explanations, especially about my lovely sister, pains me because I can’t quite understand them immediately.

I want to help.

“When you were two years old, I’ve also noticed that she’s become able to imitate some sounds but won’t be able to recognize our requests. Me and your dad felt hopeful because of that and we thought she’s just a late bloomer. That's why we didn’t immediately go to the doctor for her to be checked.” My mom continued speaking.

Mommy shifted her weight in my direction and looked me in the eyes. I can feel her pain through her eyes. She smiled at me and combed my hair with her hand and said…

“Please take care of your sister for me, okay?”

I nodded in a heartbeat.

*** “Felicia, I have to get back to work.” Mom’s voice sounded cold. Almost as if she’s trying to hold herself together. It’s the week after Daddy’s funeral, two weeks since we’ve lost him in a car accident. Felicity and I are already 16 years old. Felicity can now speak a little but will still stutter and lose focus from time to time.

“I understand, Mommy”

I answered despite my silent crying. I also tried to pull

myself together. The situation just got tougher for me and my twin, but I know it’s not even close to the pain my mom is experiencing right now.

“Sorry, Felicia, I know I am always telling you this, but this time I really have to ask you to take care of your sister.” My mom’s voice shivered with every word that came out of her mouth.

“I’ll take care of Felicity. I can do it.”

I told to reassure her and we both cried

our hearts out and together with Felicity, we hugged our longing for our loving father.

Page | 71

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

“So since then, you’ve decided to take care of her?”

Carmen asked. Marvin

excused himself to get more snacks at the nearby table.

“Yes.” I answered.

“How come we didn’t know any of this? I mean all these years we shared and we never brought this up?” Lizzie expressed her understandable dismay.

“First of all, I just don’t want to burden anyone with my own obligations and I know everybody here also has their problems to take care of. Aside from that, I guess I’m just too tired to share it. Since I consider my time with you guys as my time to breathe and relax.” I looked down and sighed at my own words.

No one dared to speak in reply to what I’d just said.

“So what happened after that? I mean when you got to be aware of the situation?” Marvin said as he walked back towards us to hand us the snacks he got from our table. Small thank you’s chimed as they accepted the snacks.

“Basically, we, as a family, struggled on how we should balance our time for Felicity. I don't do much obviously since I am still a kid, but I try to help by always talking with my twin and attending to her needs. My mother had to get off her job to focus on us too, making my father the sole provider in the family.” I paused for a moment to the mention of my dad.

“We proceeded to attend Felicity’s speech therapy, which costs a lot since there are only a few Speech pathologists here. With the effort of our parents, we managed to be functional as a family and I got to attend school regularly but of course, I have to balance my time with taking care of Felicity.” I prepared myself.

“But it all… changed, when umm… Daddy died,” I finally said. “I think I have already mentioned this to you but my father died in my senior year in high school and that’s when my family became at our worst…” *** After that talk, we settled our everyday routine, into our expenses and what we should do in case of emergency. We also planned out how we are going to manage my twin’s therapy and school. The next few months turned out bearable although it started to wear me out since I am in high school and I have to attend to my sister’s needs.

All of our hard work seemed to pay off and everything was going smoothly not until my mother’s company decided to cost-cut to recover from the losses. The situation became more problematic for our family. My Mom decided to transfer Felicity to my school since we can't afford the fee for the special education institution. And we had to choose between discontinuing Felicity’s therapies or her schooling. Obviously, we chose the latter.

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LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Mother is always stressed, that's why I never bothered her and kept all my worries to myself. I doubled my hard work. Without my mom’s idea, I requested to transfer to Felicity’s class so I’ll be able to monitor her even though I won’t be able to be with my close friends. At home I also take care of the chores, Felicity would help me out. If we still have time, I’d talk to her and help her practice her speech. In her therapy sessions, I would always come with her. I am aware that somehow Felicity is now able to understand our situation but it doesn’t sit right with me to just leave her alone on her journey.

I promised, Mom. That’s what I always remind myself of.

The succeeding events continued to wear me out but I always try to manage my family. One of the worst things that happened was when Felicity got bullied in our school.

“What happened?!”

I immediately said as I sprint my way inside the guidance

office where I saw Felicity crying and in front of her are the two bullies that did her wrong. The guidance counselor told me what happened and sent away the bullies after she gave out their sanctions for bullying my sister.

I didn’t know what to say and I just embraced Felicity trying to comfort my crying sister. To my surprise, Felicity hugged me back tightly as if she was scared.

Felicity’s arms were trembling as she said the words…

“F-fely… let-t-t… g-go h-home...” Felicity struggled to speak with her stutter and her crying.

My heart broke with those words.

Without a doubt, I asked permission if we can now go home. We left the premises immediately as soon as we got our permission. My twin continued to cry silently on our way home. My mind turned blank. I just don't know what to do. After we got into our house we cleaned up and I tucked my sister to sleep for her to rest while I stared blankly at nothingness trying to process all things that happened that day.

The days after that incident are taken care of by our Mom. She’s furious at the school

for

letting

this

happen.

I

persuaded

her

to

focus

on

her

job

which

I

accomplished and I told her that I will handle things more carefully from now on.

Felicity and I got back to school after a couple of days and also attended her therapies, but there’s something off with Felicity. She’s a lot less focused and always seemed to forget the things she already knew, it’s like we are back to where we started which scared me. I talked about it with the therapist and after a

check-up

and

diagnosis,

the

therapist

announced

that

my

sister

might

be

experiencing regression.

One problem after the other.

Page | 73

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

The next few days became so hard for me. I don’t even have any idea how I would be able to manage home, school, and my sister. At some point, I even got mad and shouted at Felicity because we can’t understand each other. I was at my lowest point but I can’t open it up with my mother because I don't want to burden her. I continued to school even if I felt really burnt out and distanced myself from people. I was failing my classes, but I have to handle many things. I prioritize my responsibilities to my sister and home. I didn’t care what my classmates would say about me being always inattentive. All in my head is to make it my responsibility.

One day, I was walking down the hallway of our school with dead eyes and just looking like I’m barely surviving. Or at least, it felt like that. I hear everybody’s murmurs about the way I look and my sister’s condition. I ignored them and tried to cancel out any emotions that tire me.

I still have a lot of things to do. I told myself.

“Ms. Felicia Isabela? Is that you? Dear, are you okay?!”

A voice of a woman

called. I looked back to where the voice came from and saw Ma’am Jane, our guidance counselor, with a worried look on her face.

“Are you okay, Felicia?” Ma’am Jane asked again since I did not answer her the first time around.

As soon as I heard those words, those words that no one even asked me, I just broke down to tears in front of Ma’am Jane and ran towards her for a hug without even caring if she liked it or not. She seemed surprised by my sudden action but recovered almost instantly and hugged me back trying to console me. After a minute she asked me to follow her to her office for a talk.

At her office, Ma’am Jane urged me to open up and as if I were a child, I cried my heart out to our guidance counselor. I vented all of my frustrations and hardships.

I expressed how I was so mad at myself for being useless and not being enough to be of help to my mom. I told her that I am also mad at my mom for not knowing my situation. How I am also mad with dad for leaving us alone to experience all of this

nuisance.

And

I

expressed

my

frustration

as

to

why

my

sister

had

to

experience being bullied. I just cried, shouted, and let my mad self take over me.

And when I finished, I just felt light. It felt as if a dagger was pulled out of my chest.

“Thank you for telling me all that, Felicia. Would you mind if I also handle this situation?” Ma’am Jane which confused me so I didn’t answer her question and just blindly nodded. She told me that she’d phone my Mom about this. I refused at first but she assured me that adults need to talk about it so I let her.

After that, I came to my class and continued my day with my sister as usual but now I feel lighter.

“Felicity, take off your shoes first before coming inside, okay?”

I reminded

Felicity as soon as we entered the gate of our home. She just answered me with a slight nod. Felicity entered the house as soon as she put her shoes back on the shoe shelf.

“Mo…mmy?” I heard Felicity say in the kitchen.

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LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Mom’s already here? But it’s still too early. I thought in my head.

I

also made my way to the kitchen and mom was already there with food set up

on our table.

“What are you girls standing there for? Come sit with me. Let’s eat!”

My

mom gestured to the table as she spoke.

Still dumbfounded as to why she was already home early, she asked us about our day, of course, I told her the usual things we did while Felicity also tried to tell hers the best she can do. After that Mom also talked about her day and we just listened as we eat,

“I know you’re curious why I am home early, Felicia,”

I met Mom’s eyes after

she said that.”I actually have a piece of good news! Since I’ve stayed with the company, they decided to promote me into a higher position,” she added.

“That’s great, Mom!” I congratulated her.

“I know, with my higher pay we’d be able to afford a helper now in the house. You won’t have to do everything from now on.” Mom continued to speak while I silently enjoyed my food. Mommy held my hand and my chin made me meet her eyes.

“Felicia, I’m sorry.” She

smiled and my tears just started flowing down my face.

I cried hard again, now in front of my mom. We talked and she mentioned that the guidance counselor, Ma’am Jane, talked to her and extended some help with Felicity’s needs in school. Ma’am Jane also informed Mommy about my situation which she apologized about. After that day, everything continued to be better and

much

more

manageable.

Felicity

was

attended

to

with

care

and

her

development continued to get better.

*** “That is why I can attend university despite my responsibilities. And you guys indirectly helped me through it too.” I told the group as I ended my story.

I wiped my tears and casually just looked at the group.

“Wow, I have no idea you went through so much before, Fely. I’m sorry for my insensitive remark earlier,” Carmen is the first to speak after my story, “I told you, it’s fine, and besides, it’s been years, we’re way past that time,” I assured her and I beamed a smile.

“Thank you for sharing it with us, Felicia,” Miguel followed.

“I am more than happy to share it with everybody here. You guys are precious to me too” Page | 75

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

After hearing that, Celino jogged a little to the table to get some drinks and showed them to us.

“How about we toast on that?”

Celino chimed playfully which we answered

with a laugh and the same playful yesses.

I looked at the faces around me and smiled. I felt a small vibration from the phone on my lap. It was a message from Felicity saying…

“How’s the reunion?” I chuckled at her message and then I typed my reply.

“So far, so good,” I replied.

“Do you want more snacks, Felicia?” I looked up to Lizzie.

“Yes, please,” and smiled.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Early childhood language development is how children learn to understand and communicate in their language. This is where their phonological system is being developed;

Phonological

development

is

the

process

of

learning

to

speak.

Speech perception is the first stage, during which infants begin to distinguish and learn different sorts of sounds. Speech production is the second stage, in which they try to make noises like laughing, crying, or cooing.

The following stage is articulation development, in which they learn to say the words.

Then

there's

the

syntactic

development,

in

which

they

know

how

to

construct sentences—lastly, the word acquisition, in which kids pay more attention to the many meanings of words. Parents or guardians must monitor different stages of language development to ensure that the baby is on track and prevent any delays.The story features a child who has a speech delay. She showed signs at an early age like not babbling at the age of 5 months, isn't using gestures, such as pointing or waving bye-bye at the age of 1, can only imitate speech or actions, and doesn't produce words or phrases spontaneously At the age of 2. On the other hand, her parents didn't notice it until later. Thus she was diagnosed not too late but not too early. And in the worst-case situation, failing to see the signs and getting diagnosed early could lead to the worst-case outcome. Speech therapy and family attending to the child are the treatments for this; sadly, her father died, which caused the mother to be busier and reduced the attention she could give to Felicity, which is very critical in the treatment process of the child. It's been a difficult journey, but with the support of her sister Felicia and other friends and

family

and

professionals,

the

world

has

finally

heard

Felicia

in

a

more

beautiful light.

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LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITY 7 Studies show that when parents, teachers and caregivers talk more to children and ask any questions, they create more stimulating language environments for their children. What recommendations can you give to parents for them to provide stimulating

language

research on this.

Page | 77

environments?

You may want to do some further

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Communicate: Engage your child in conversation. Use descriptive language and be patient as your child attempts to communicate. Allow him time to respond and acknowledge his attempts, even when he is difficult to understand. Resist providing answers.

Play: Interact with your child by playing and talking. Use pictures, books, objects, or ongoing events to stimulate language development. During play, model correct pronunciation and use repetition exercises to build speech and language skills.

Singing: If you chose to include signing to reduce your child’s frustration, always verbalize the appropriate words in tandem with the hand motions.

Read: Choose colorful books with large, simple pictures and encourage your child to help you identify the images.

Articulation: Articulate the correct sounds and syllables, and physically show your child how to make certain sounds by demonstrating how to move the tongue to produce the desired sounds.

Music: The use of music enhances language, listening, memory and expression skills.

Family photos: Share the experience of looking at family photos while discussing events and people in the picture with your child.

Exercises: Speech delay may be a result of underdeveloped muscles around the mouth.

There are a number of oral exercises you can introduce to work these muscles and to help your child’s awareness.

Page | 78

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Page | 79

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Right action tends to be defined in terms of general individual rights and standards that have been critically examined and agreed upon by the whole society”.

- Lawrence Kohlberg

Y

ou

better

not

cry,

watch

you

~Everyone

and

Kyla

while

eating

who

not

snickered snacks.

was

you

better

pout

I’m

went silent except for

their

granddaughter,

better

“Hello?”

telling you–

Miguel

out,

asking

beside

Bianca,

me

me my

about

the

leftover food in the refrigerator through the phone.

We

talked

for

a

bit

and

bid

our

goodbyes to each other.

The group bursted in laughter and greeted the silence.

“Only in the Philippines can you find a senior citizen whose ringtone is a childrenʻs christmas song. Haha, youʻre still unpredictable and weird, Leni,” Miguel said despite the horselaugh. Kyla clapped in agreement. The rest of the gang chuckled as some munched on their biscuits and sipped their hot chocolate.

I

put my drink down carefully and smacked

Miguel in his arm.

“Hey! Whatʻs wrong with it? Itʻs a popular song and it uplifts anyone’s mood.

Although, I think it was my grandchildren who changed it this time.” I laughed, “They're very unpredictable.” I picked up my

cup

thighs

and

to

arranged

protect

me

the from

blanket the

over

cold

of

my the

evening.

“Kids

nowadays…”

Marvin

said

while

rubbing his hands together.

Page | 80

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

“Back in the days, we carole around the village until 9 oʻclock in the evening, but now, children play games on their phone and chat with their friends until midnight. Itʻs interesting how technology changed our way of living.”

“Thatʻs true! Before, we hammer bottle caps, then poke holes on each center with a nail, and connect it with wire to create musical instruments.

Now, they just download instrumental songs, play them on a speaker, then sing. Thatʻs unimaginable in our time!” Lizzie excitedly exclaimed. Carmen sighed in return. I glanced at her and noticed her frowning.

ʻ Yes,” she said, “I just remember how miserable my apo was last Christmas. His parents were busy on a business trip so he spent the half of his vacation binge watching the Home Alone movie series. How sad. My poor Leo.” I asked her if she s okay, and she answered back with a small smile. “

This time, I frowned and set my face downcast. I remembered my own experience of being depressed on Christmas. Tears started to form in my eyes because of the painful memories I had with my own parents.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I immediately looked up to see who it was, trying to hold back the tears that were about to fall out of my eyes. Kyla asked,

“Are you okay?”

with a soft tone and concerned look. I forced a smile

and nodded multiple times. I felt the atmosphere grew cold so I took a glance at my friends. Their attention was on me, as if they heard our conversation.

"Hey, I'm fine! Itʻs okay. I just remembered my own experience of a depressing holiday. We all had our share of that, and it's from a long time ago so itʻs no big deal.” I assured them.

Carmen, one of the people from the group whom I have talked to about this,

“Itʻs okay, Len. This is a safe place and” she looked around, “itʻs actually the perfect time to share it. We're all good friends here and quite old so weʻll understand where youʻre coming from.

But if you donʻt want to, it's okay as well.” tilted her head and responded,

I was awed by how caring and sweet my friend is. Carmen has always been encouraging. I took a sip from my hot choco and recalled what happened in the

ʻ

Christmas of 84.

Page | 81

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

***

It was six in the evening and all I was planning to do was to spend my night crying on my bed. I blocked my face with my favorite pink and fluffy teddy bear given by the most special person in my life, my dad. All of a sudden, my thoughts were promptly interrupted… I slowly opened my eyes and felt how heavy and itchy it was because of crying all day as I started hearing the sound of tambourines, drums,

and

maracas

played

by

cheerful

and

loud

kids

singing

the

famous

Christmas song in town.

~Ang Pasko ay sumapit. Tayo ay mangagsi-awit ng magagandang himig dahil sa Diyos ay pag-ibig. Nang si Kristo'y isilang, may tatlong haring nagsidalaw, at ang bawat isa ay nagsipaghandog ng tanging alay~ I put on a small smile. While listening to the melodies sung and played outside, I suddenly felt my stomach grumble.

“I’m kinda hungry,” I said out loud.

I immediately sat straight up before I completely stood and found my way to the kitchen to prepare a tasty sandwich and a hot cup of coffee. Before I took a bite of my sandwich, my phone rang, and it turned out my friends started a video call.

I quickly answered the call and smiled widely while looking at their faces on the screen. When I saw and heard their voices filled with joy, I felt relieved. They were asking me out to spend the night with them. I cannot refuse their invitation because they will surely feel bad about it.

“Hey, do you wanna come hang out today?”

“Uh, well, I do have plans…” I replied plainly.

"That’s a lie." I said in my mind “It’s christmas! We should be spending it together, come please.” I stared at my friend’s pleading faces which honestly made me feel guilty. I wanted to say no but instead I just told them…

“Alright alright, I’ll swing by.” and busied myself to prepare.

I wore a khaki wavy dress and tied my hair up. I reached their house on time and sat beside my friend Helen who pointed me to be the next to share my Christmas eve thoughts. I really do not know what I am going to share but out of nowhere, I started talking about the worst Christmas eve that I had when I was a child.

I clearly remembered the things that happened on this day, the sixteenth day of December.

I

was

already

halfway

to

my

mom’s

purse

when

I

went

still

and

hesitated if I should really just get money without her permission but as the silly and spoiled kid I was, I carefully looked for mom’s purse and stole some bills to buy a tambourine in the shop next to our house.

Page | 82

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

While walking towards the shop with my eyes looking down at my feet, I bumped into someone. I felt my heart abruptly pump and my knees shaking because it was my mom and she saw the bills I held.

“Leni, why are you here all alone?” She said, while eyeing me with concern.

“And where did you get that money?” She

asked curiously but this time there’s

a hint of suspicion.

I didn’t know what to answer because obviously I stole this money. I just stared blankly at my mom.

“Why aren’t you answering? Did you get it from my pouch?”

I nodded slowly

at her question. And from that I knew that my mother was already mad at me.

She immediately helped me to get up and held my hand as we walked hurriedly to our house. I can feel that mom is extremely angry but she’s keeping it in. She closed the door and leaned to me while explaining that stealing money is not good. Whatever the reason that I have, I ought not steal money or any other things that I do not own.

Helen

and

others

laughed

at

how

foolish

I

was

when

I

was

young,

and

we

continued to enjoy the night just like that.

The next day, I walked back home giddily skipping along the pavement. The street is full of fun as usual. Children are playing piko while their mothers are conversing with one another in front of the sari-sari store.

Everyone is doing their own thing. I thought to myself. I continued walking and admiring the lanterns in each post, until I heard familiar voices. I halted and realized

that

my

cousins

are

visiting

us

today!

I

grabbed

my

backpack

and

immediately ran towards our house.

My cousins flung their arms around me when I reached the gate. I’m ecstatic at this very moment! After not seeing them for a year, their presence seemed like the most precious thing this christmas season. We exchanged pleasantries and I greeted my uncle and aunt inside the house, then led them to the backyard where my new bike was parked.

As we were taking turns riding it, a kid from our neighborhood threw a stone and accidentally hit my cousin’s head. I yelled and told the kid to stop throwing stones or else I will throw the stones back to her face.

Hey! Stop throwing stones or I will throw the stones back to you!”

“

I angrily

shouted.

“I don’t want to, your faces are stupid!”

The kids said and made a face which

obviously angered me more.

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MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

She did not listen to me and continued to throw stones and my other cousins were telling me to throw stones back to her so out of pressure and anger, I threw a stone and hit her eye. That is why I ended up being grounded for the rest of the holidays.

My cousins traveled back home yesterday with smiles plastered on their faces despite the bruises and band aids. It was now December 24th and my mom woke me up early to buy groceries for Christmas' eve. We got back home and arranged all

the

products

we

bought,

until

my

dad’s

phone

suddenly

rang.

My

mom

approached the counter-top because dad was busy carrying the eco bags from outside.

I was confused why my mom was crying while staring at the phone. Dad opened the front door while carrying the baggage and immediately stopped when he saw us. I can’t read his face but I have a gut feeling that something’s up. My mom suddenly asked me to go upstairs and lock my room which just made it more suspicious.

“Leni, please go to your room. There’s a storybook in there for you to read.

Mama will come later to check on you.” Mom said despite her tear-stained face.

I nodded at her and made my way to my room although I felt the urge to stay.

Halfway to my room, I suddenly heard my mom’s shaking voice yelling at my dad about the message and call history that she discovered and suspected my dad having an affair with his office mate, Sara. I felt a chill go down my spine; it’s as if someone threw cold water over me.

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?! In front of my daughter, you do this stupid thing?!” I can feel mom’s anger as she shouted these words to my dad.

“She’s my daughter too!” My father shouted back.

“That’s not the point of what I’ve said, and you should’ve thought that you had a daughter when you were philandering with that woman! Didn’t you even think how this would affect Leni?!”

“You know what?! This is why I cheated on you! You leave no space for me to enjoy my life! I can’t do this… I can’t be with you anymore!”

My heart sank at my dad’s remark. My tears fell endlessly as I dropped on the ground. I can’t believe this is happening…

“My dad immediately packed his stuff and left us. Mom and I spent Christmas Eve like we're grieving since dad decided to be with Sara, his mistress, and secretly filed an annulment about a month ago. My mom started to lose herself and drank herself to drop.” I felt my chest tighten as I continued my story.

Page | 84

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

“Unfortunately, while driving on her way to Sara’s house to try to fix things with my dad she was hit by a 12-wheeler truck that caused her death. Until now I am still haunted by my thoughts. I should have not let her go… I should have done something. I shouldn't have let her drive in that state even if I also hoped to bring our family together again. I should’ve thought about what would be good for all. But what can I do? I was just a child back then.”

I cried and started to lose my composure in front of my friends. I’m just too hurt thinking about the past.

After sharing my Christmas eve thoughts, my tears fell unconsciously and Kyla hugged me from the side.

“Iʻm so sorry to hear that, Leni.”

Joy first spoke and approached me. Miguel,

Celino and Tricia were too stunned to speak right now, but Christine followed Joy

“Leni, you're such a strong person. I canʻt imagine how one can move on from that. And what amazes me is how much youʻve grown throughout the years. From being selfish, youʻve become more caring to others. Your moral compass indeed transformed.” She patted my head and hugged me as well.

affectionately after saying that.

“Yes, from stealing to buy a tambourine to throwing rocks at your neighbor.

You are getting more notorious as you grow. If thatʻs moral development, what else is?” Miguel teased to lighten my mood. I chuckled while wiping my tears away. He continued, “But seriously, you really did grow into an amazing woman. I agree with Tine. From selfishness to selflessness to finding a balance between them, where no one is hurt.”

I smiled and looked at my friends sentimentally. These people will always have a place in my heart.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Moral Stages of Development Morality is the recognition of the distinction between good and evil or between right and wrong; respect for and obedience to the rules of right conduct; the mental disposition or characteristic of behaving in a manner intended to produce good results.

Two theories are developed to explain the stages of moral development, namely,

ʻ

ʻ

Kohlberg s and Gilligan s.

Page | 85

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development Kohlberg's research in psychology has shown that our conception of justice-what is right-changes and develops over time as we interact with our environment. He expanded on the earlier work of cognitive theorist Jean Piaget to explain the moral development of children. Kohlberg believed that moral development, like cognitive development, follows a series of stages. Kohlberg identified three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional.

Level 1: Preconventional Throughout the preconventional level, a child’s sense of morality is externally controlled. Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers. A child with pre-conventional morality has not yet adopted or internalized society’s conventions regarding what is right or wrong, but instead focuses largely on external consequences that certain actions may bring.

Level 2: Conventional

Throughout the conventional level, a child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships. Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is now due to their belief that this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and societal order. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid during these stages, and a rule’s appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned.

Level 3: Postconventional Throughout the postconventional level, a person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values. People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be changed or eliminated. Post-conventional moralists live by their own ethical principles—principles that typically include such basic human rights

as

life,

liberty,

and

justice—and

view

rules

as

useful

but

changeable

mechanisms, rather than absolute dictates that must be obeyed without question.

Kohlberg has been criticized for his assertion that women seem to be deficient in their moral reasoning abilities when compared to men. Carol Gilligan (1982), a research assistant of Kohlberg, criticized her former mentor’s theory because it was based so narrowly on research using white, upper-class men and boys. She argued

that

women

are

not

deficient

in

their

moral

reasoning

and

instead

proposed that males and females reason differently: girls and women focus more on staying connected and maintaining interpersonal relationships.

Page | 86

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Gilligan’s Moral Stages of Development Gilligan proposes a stage theory of moral development for women. If you know anything

about

developmental

psychology,

you

know

stage

theories

are

important. But in fact there are alternatives to stage theories that we will not cover in this class. Much of the research in current developmental psychology is not

focused

on

developmental

stages, progress.

and

does

Instead,

not many

assume

their

primacy

developmental

in

explaining

psychologists

look

carefully at how some particular skill (e.g. drawing, abstract thinking, thinking about other people, making excuses, helping others) develops over time. Much of this research suggests that the stage theories are too simplistic in their picture of changes in skills, attributes, and competencies over time.

References: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/kohlbergsstages-of-moral-development/

https://lfkkb.tripod.com/eng24/gilliganstheory.html

ACTIVITY 8

Page | 87

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Identify the stage of moral development shown in the following: 1. Joy allows her classmates to copy her homework so that they will think she is kind and will like her to be their friend.

2. Ricky does everything to get passing grades because his Mom will take his playstation away if he gets bad grades.

3. A civic action group protests the use of pills for family planning, saying that although the government allows this, it is actually murder because the pills are abortifacient (causes abortion).

4. Jinky lets Hannah copy during their math test because Hannah agreed to let her copy during their sibika test.

5. 5Karen decides to return the wallet she found in the canteen so that people will praise her honesty and think she's such a nice girl.

6. John

decides

to

return

the

wallet

he

found

in

the

canteen

because

he

believes it's the right thing to do.

7. Lyka wears her ID inside the campus because she likes to follow the school rules and regulations.

8. A jeepney driver looks if there's a policeman around before he u-turns in a no u-turn spot.

9. Liza volunteers to tutor children-at-risk children inther community for free so they will learn to love school and stay in school.

10. Little Riel behaves so well to get a star stamp from her teacher.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Educational

implications

for

each

stage

of

development

must

be

taken

into

account. Pedagogies and strategies applied to the learner should be aligned to their moral interests and capacity.

Infancy and Babyhood / Toddlerhood 1-2 years old Orientation: Punishment orientation. Obedience to authority is considered.

Aim/Goal: Individual survival.

Strategy: Toddlers are supposed to be taught about the general right and wrong actions. Since they just listen to authority and do not have the ability to process why things are wrong or right, they must be explicitly taught what is wrong and right. Although, this must be done in their natural setting - playing with toys, eating food, potty training, etc.

Page | 88

MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Early Childhood 2-6 years old Orientation:

Pleasure-seeking

orientation.

Action

is

determined

by

one’s

own

needs.

Aim/Goal: Individual survival.

Strategy: Learners in this stage of moral development are prone to hurt others because their minds are set on satisfying their pleasures, so being very concrete about morals is important. Hold learners accountable for their actions, but also praise them for what they do right. Teach them empathy and be a role model to them.

Late Childhood 6-11 years old Orientation:

Good

boy/good

girl

orientation.

Action

is

determined

Transition

is

from

by

the

approval of their peer group.

Aim/Goal:

The

goal

is

individual

survival.

selfishness

to

responsibility to others.

ʻ

Strategy: Story-telling is an effective way of teaching learners about what s right and wrong. Since stories involve people, this will be a great way to appeal to their good boy/good girl orientation. Stories also give them an idea why an action is right or wrong and how that judgement came to be.

Puberty and Adolescence 11-21 years old Orientation: Authority orientation. Should uphold the law at all costs. Follow social rules. Transitions to social-contract orientation. Rules are open to question but are upheld for the good of the community.

Aim/Goal: Transition is from selfishness to responsibility to others. Self Sacrifice is goodness. Transition is from goodness to truth that she is a person too.

Strategy: Let adolescents explore other perspectives. Talk honestly and openly about your values. Listen and don’t judge. Support adolescents in evaluating and addressing the results of their actions. Model how to disagree. Revisit rules, as needed. Encourage adolescents to get involved. Help teen voices be heard.

Adulthood and Old Age 21 years old and above Orientation: Morality of individual principles. High value is placed on justice, dignity, and equality.

Aim/Goal: Transition is from goodness to truth that she is a person too. Principle of nonviolence: do not hurt others or self.

Strategy:

The

strategy

in

the

previous

stage

is

applicable

to

adult

learners.

Although, making the activities more reflective for each person would help them shape their own moral compasses and eventually live out these beliefs. Students are

not

only

regarded

as

recipients

or

followers

of

principles.

They

are

empowered to mold and enhance universal moral standards.

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MORAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“The ego is not master in its own house”.

-Sigmund Freud

I

“Thank you so much for sharing it with us, Leni. I didn’t imagine that you would go through something like that.” flashed Leni with a warm smile,

“I am actually the one who should be thanking everyone since you’ve listened to my story although it’s very uhh… How do I say this? Dramatic?” Leni chuckled and faced me, “How about yours?”

Hmm? What do you mean?” I

“

replied with a

smile and confused expression.

“I just think that since everyone else already talked about their sharing, this should be your turn,” Leni reasoned out to me.

I

felt

slightly

uncomfortable

with

her

suggestion but I can’t just shy away from that.

“Oh umm… Well, okay I’ll take the spotlight then.” I agreed to Leni’s suggestion although I can feel the slight hesitation at my words.

Suddenly, the vibe of the camp changed, they must’ve seen through me. As I try to recall my past memories that I may share with them, my gut suddenly felt hollow. It’s like I am missing something

or

even

someone.

My

mood

definitely changed at this moment.

“Hey, Joy! What’s wrong? Do you remember anything that makes you sad?

It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about yourself. We could just talk about something else if you would prefer that,” Miguel worriedly said.

I shook my head to disagree with Miguel and mouthed

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‘it’s okay’.

PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

“Actually, I just really can’t recall almost all of my memories, especially my childhood memories, but that is not what I am sad about. I just remembered my mother before she left for Canada five years ago. She told me that she would always miss me and that I am forever her baby girl, even at this age, since I am the youngest child among us. I just smiled at that time, even though I wanted to tell her that I was hurt because she needed to go to Canada where my sister lives. I remember her smiling back at me then started telling her memories of me when I was a little cute girl.” I shared.

“What did your mom tell you? Maybe when you were a baby, you always cried?” Kyla jokingly said while eating.

I playfully rolled my eyes at Kyla’s question.

If you really miss your mother, let's focus on the happy parts of your life with her.

Share your memories from when you were young. You said earlier that only your mother reminded you of those memories." Tricia suggested which put me in a better mood.

"Thank you for these guys. Let me continue. My mother said that I was the kind of baby who always cries if I don't have something to suck. like a pacifier, bottled milk or even her breast. She also said sometimes I don't really do breast feeding; I just really want to have something that I can suck with my mouth."

"Aww! So cute!! Sorry for my reaction. I can't help it. I just remembered my nephew's attitude when he was a baby. He was just like you! He really wanted to suck things, especially his thumb. I remember him being so cute.” Christine then showed us a picture of her nephew and then Christine responded,

talked about other baby things.

The story went on, and the conversation deepened. My friends and I had more fun because of the stories that I told them and all the nonsense that I had done, even though I was just a baby in the past. The sadness that I felt gradually disappeared because of the overwhelming conversation with my friends. My mood lightened because of them.

“My mom also told me that when I was a child, I didn't want to poop in a diaper. I don’t feel comfortable and that’s when they decided for me to use the comfort room. That’s how I was potty trained,” I continued sharing with them. I grabbed a sandwich to munch while we talked.

“I think we were kinda the same, I really don't want to poop on other things like diapers. I only just want a comfort bowl,” Lizzie said with a smile. “It just feels uncomfortable and it makes me feel dirty,” She added

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

“That is exactly how I feel! I think that is also the reason why I am very picky when using the toilet, especially at public places like malls.” Lizzie agreed with me and said that she thought the same thing too.

"Yuck! We are eating. Can you just stop, would you please change the topic, no more poop topics please? Just share another story that gives you joy! Pun intended by the way.”

Celino reacted

Everyone laughed at his last remark and reaction.

“You’re such an old kill-joy, Celino. I am enjoying the conversation. I feel like my appetite grew bigger,” Felicia joked which made us laugh as a group.

Sorry, I forgot that we are eating. I am just carried away with our conversation because we often talked about topics like these before. I just miss the experience like this so much.” “

"Well, no, it's fine! I was just overreacting. By the way, your memories and experiences are really interesting, not to mention, funny. Can you tell us more?” Celino replied while grilling more camping snacks we prepared.

"Hmm, sure! This one is very sensitive, in a way, but since we are old enough, I think it's okay to share and open up. When I was a kid, I always wondered why my cousin had a little elephant nose on the middle upper part of his legs. I was very curious at that time, so I asked my mother. I curiously looked at her and said, ‘Mom, why does my cousin Jericho have an elephant nose in the middle of his legs but I don't have one?’"

“An elephant nose?” Felicia echoed confusingly.

I think Joy meant to say pe—” Miguel answered but was immediately cut off.

“Yeah yeah I get it now.” Felicia abruptly said. We laughed at the exchange “

of

the two.

I continued my story when the laughter subsided.

“Then my mother explained to me, that the person with an elephant nose in the middle bottom belly part is a boy, his sex is a man, and since you asked why you don't have that one, it’s because your sex is a girl or woman.”

“It’s funny to think that we’re just so innocent back then and now we’re like this.” Carmen exclaimed which is followed by Miguel saying.

“I think it’s just you, Carmen. We are still innocent”

And faked a concerned

face and clasped his hands together teasing Carmen.

“Being funny doesn’t suit you, stop.” Carmen sassily remarked. I chuckled."It seems that you have a good relationship with your mother to talk about things like that. Am I right?" Christine said, returning the conversation to my sharing.

"Hmm…I guess? Well, I can’t really tell."

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

Celino,

"Why?”

"I answered Celino’s question with a confused expression on my face and just shrugged."May we know why?" Lizzie asked.

At this point, I just remained silent, trying to think of something so that I could explain my thoughts.

"Well, I think based on your expression you don’t have an entirely complicated relationship with your mother to the point that you are both very distant with each other, right?” Leni broke the awkward silence.

I took a deep breath.

“Growing up, my mother is not beside me most of the time because she is a career woman. She needs to work to support us and has little time to take care of us. She did everything alone and even though it was hard on my part, I understand our situation and I am amazed at how well she handled it.”

I replied,

“It is big of you to understand your situation and it is not that usual to do it at a young age. Your mother must be proud because you're mature enough to handle all of the experience.”

Felicia said,

I slowly smiled and said,

"Mature enough? I don't think so!”

Celino, Leni, and Helen ask the same question at the same time,

“Why?”

I don't know, but I think you have a point. The experience that I had growing up without the full support of a parent was rough but it is also the reason why I became independent, still, even with those experiences I still make foolish decisions that I actually sometimes regret. But the point still stands, those experiences really made me wiser" I reflected as I explained my view of my situation back then.“Yes! So don't be sad because you already won over the struggles you experienced before and I think that is a good development, Joy!” Lizzie tried to lift the mood. "

“Yeah, I know. Those experiences that I faced are the reasons and the steps that led me to the happiest part of my life. Do you know why? Because that's where I started, that is also why I am friends with you guys! That made my heart so happy and I don't regret being friends with all of you.” I agreed with Lizzie. It’s good to have a friend that will cheer you up even at our age.

The whole circle of friends slowly smiled, and their eyes shone.

“I have so many great memories with you guys! I love you all!"

Kyla cheerily

said.

"Yes!! I agree! I have a lot too. This friendship will never end! It's just fun because even when we're old, we don't forget each other, right?" Helen looked at everyone.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

The whole circle of friends was very happy to talk about the memories of their childhood and friendship. Everyone was happy and laughing. You could see the wrinkles on their faces, but their eyes and smiles seemed to return like childhood time.

Then suddenly…

I heard that your husband and you have been together for many decades.

Maybe you can share your love story and how you met?" Celino asked. “

Where did that question come from? I wanted to ask him in return but I was taken aback by his question.

After a moment I recovered and just decided to ride along with his question.

“Actually, I failed so many times when it comes to the story of love.

Sometimes I feel that I don’t see myself being in love because of the pain caused by being part of a failed relationship. But my mom told me that those pains would give me some lessons to learn and another chance to open up my heart again. I asked for guidance from God and also asked for some advice from my mom. I said to God, ‘Give me some signs and give me the right person for me to feel the real meaning of love. I don't want to feel hurt anymore, and I also don't want to repeat my mistakes.’ Even though I'm old, I still need my mom's guidance,” I paused to breathe.

“I met him when I was in college. Which you guys already know since we are all in the same University and on the same course but you may not know this but sometimes I consider him as my academic rival at some classes that we are classmates. Later on, I just realized how much I enjoyed his company and same goes with him, at least that’s what he told me. Then, after a few years, on the exact date of our graduation, he confessed his feelings and started to court me,” I continued sharing. Recalling all of these somehow made me feel happy.

“After 2 years, I answered his lover's line, ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’ and that time, he got my ‘yes’.”

"Yhhiee “ ,“So sweet!” the group teased.

“Please stop acting like we are still in our 20’s. It’s been decades past.”

I

tried to stop them but they just kept going so I just decided to keep telling the story as well.

“Before we came up with this successful marriage, we had so many struggles and problems that it became hard for us to keep the bond strong.

It is not as easy as everyone says. Sometimes we come to the point that we think of ending our relationship because of the many what if's, but in married life, you will know all of what is and just keep going.” I sighed at the thought.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

I

explained

how

we

met

and

how

we

achieved

a

long-lasting

and

strong

marriage. Everyone is enjoying this part, because we want to reminisce about our story and the good memories we shared during the stage of being together until we ended up tying the knot.

"Actually, your whole life story is very interesting. You faced many struggles and you overcame many challenges to achieve your development in life, Joy. You’re making me feel very proud of you" Felicia replied, "I agree with you Helen, but I think I already read a book that takes on the development that you experienced in life, Joy. Hmm let me recall…” Felicia paused for a bit to think.

Helen responded,

“Ah! It’s the psychosexual development by Sigmund Freud.”

Felicia finally

said. I just smiled at her..

I might read about that one of these days. I thought.

“Hmm Guys, It seems like we’ve talked too much about me. Maybe someone else can share? Kyla? Maybe you want to share something?”

CONCEPT SUMMARY There are five psychosexual stages of development according to Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist who believed that personality developed through a series of childhood stages and was mostly established by the age of 5. These stages highlight fixations and erogenous zones, which , according to him, affect the child’s development.

The first stage is the oral stage, which starts from birth to 18 months. At this stage, the mouth is the erogenous zone, and the pleasure can be felt through sucking, chewing, or swallowing, as long as it involves the mouth. Fixations during this stage

can

lead

to

smoking,

drinking

alcohol,

gossiping,

nail

biting,

and

overeating. Furthermore, this stage has a fixation that can cause a person to become too dependent on others, easily fooled and lacking in leadership traits.

The second stage is the anal stage, where the focus of pleasure of a child aging from 18 months to 3 years old is their anus. They find eliminating and retaining feces satisfying. Their hygiene and cleanliness can be determined during this stage.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

In

the

next

stage,

which

is

the

philiac

stage,

children

become

interested

in

knowing what makes boys and girls different. The erogenous zone is the genitals.

In this phase, the boys’ affection and attraction towards their mother is strong, while the girls are also like that with their father.

During the third phase, known as the latency stage, children aged 6 to puberty have a stronger bond with children of the same gender.They are also more focused on activities like school and sports. Furthermore, building relationships is also important at this stage because the fixation can result in the inability to form relationships as an adult.

The last one is the genital stage, in which the erogenous zone is the genitals.

Also, the sexual urges are awakened once again at this stage, and they are focused on peers of the opposite sex. There are no fixations during this period, but the outcomes of the fixations that occurred during the earlier stages will show their effects.

ACTIVITY 9 From Freud’s Psychosexual Development theory, what are your great takeaways and/or realizations?

____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ _______.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Spend Time with the Children and Be Involved.

Give children enough care, attention, and protection, these are the things that are crucial for developing children. Parents can plan meaningful or emotionally intimate time with their children on a regular basis, such as nightly bedtime stories, weekly shopping, or playing in the park. They also need to make sure that the

kids

are

physically

and

mentally

healthy.

It

is

also

important

to

have

a

conversation with them, answer their questions, and ask them how their day went.

By giving them enough attention, parents can also keep them protected.

Guidance and Proper Training Babies

can

not

do

anything

by

themselves

and

need

guidance

to

perform

activities. It is the parent's duty to teach and train them. Babies ages 0-1-year-old already know how to suck and bite things for their survival, but past that age, kids must be taught how to survive and eat without/aside from doing them. Kids 1-3 years old must be trained to use the potty properly and maintain their cleanliness.

Guidance will help the child learn self-control and keep their self-concept.

Fostering Positive Independence Kids will not forever stay by their parents' side. This is evident in their puberty stage. They would spend more time with their friends or outside rather than at home, or do things alone rather than asking for their parents' help. If this happens, it is best for parents to let their children take risks and explore their boundaries, but make sure to always be available to give them support when they need it.

Proper communication and boundaries must be established between them to keep the children safe.

Establish Rules and Give Clear Directions If the parents want their children to do or achieve something, then they can give them rules and directions to follow. When making rules for the children, they must be agreed upon by both parents and the children. They must be consistent and have consequences if not followed. And when giving direction, it must be very clear and able to answer questions like "who, what, how, and why" for children to understand the direction. And when the children properly follow the directions or the rules, parents can congratulate their children and reward them.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

Adults must Display Proper Behavior Children ages 3-6 years old learns behavior from the adults who are always with them and also from the adults that they respect, that is why it is important for the adults to display proper behavior.

Sex Education

Sex education helps people, especially teens, to be responsible for their own bodies. It teaches them what normal sex is like, how to treat others with care, and how

to

create

a

long-lasting

relationship.

It

can

also

prevent

problems

like

unwanted or teenage pregnancy and acquiring illness from unprotected sex.

Most importantly, it teaches how to keep themselves and their partners safe.

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PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Healthy children will not fear life if their elders have integrity enough not to fear death”.

-Erik Erikson

J

Joy replied, “Guys, It seems like you are focusing too much on my life.

Maybe someone else can share?

Kyla? Maybe you want to share something?”

I gladly stood up as I also wanted to share my story to them. I had a very happy memory of my childhood. I even often laugh at myself remembering those days.

“Do you still remember your childhood, Kyla? Can you share your story? I’m willing to listen,” Felicia asked me.

“Yes, I still remember it vividly. It was afternoon and all of my friends were playing outside,” I replied.

Tricia asked curiously, “What did they play?”

I looked at her as I answered, “They played patintero and it was my favorite game during that time.”

“Oh wow, that was my favorite larong kalye too!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, me too. My mom is sometimes strict when I play outdoors. That's why I was hesitant all the time thinking if I could join my friends."

“Did your mom allow you?”

“Eventually, she still allowed me to join the other kids and that built my confidence. She would always tell me , "Go Kyla, enjoy but be careful!" ”

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“Aww that’s so sweet” Felicia awed at my remark.

“Thank you, Fely! She guides and allows me to explore new stuff that will make me happy. She always reminds me not to be ashamed to ask her for help when I have difficulty with the things I do. My parents always show support and positive behavior towards me.” I shook my head as I remembered them.

“How supportive…” Felicia facepalmed.

“You know, My parents are the most genuine person I have ever met. I was born with love and affection; my parents always make sure that I'm safe and comfortable. They give me what I want and what I need,” I explained and they all listened attentively while still sitting.

I added, “But before they happened to be like that, it was very different.

When I was 2 years old, I was very naughty. That's why my parents' eyes are always on me. When I go for a play, I should be with my mom or dad, I can't play alone, I can't eat alone, and they want me to just rely on them.

Since they're always there for me, I can't do some things without them. So I grew up saying that I can't always do things alone.”

“They're always there when I need them. I remember when I was 6 years old, I was calling my dad because I needed his help with my assignment but I saw them both running to me. From that moment, I know that they love me so much. Although, their love makes me doubt myself. I started to be shy with other people. I don't want to go to my school because I can't do anything without them."

Since my parents are working at that time, they can't look over me. So, they decided that I should do things on my own. They train me how to clean my own mess, how to eat by myself and they make sure that everything I do will boost my confidence and self-esteem. They always cheer me up and make me proud of what I did.”

“How about you share your life when you were an elementary student?”

Celino asked, getting another hotdog.

I looked at him and smiled, “Yes, sure! My elementary days were fun, but there were still moments when they were not. I was a shy student back then. I would wait for classmates to initiate a talk and I would hesitate to ask questions to our teachers. I remember, when I was in Grade 3 during Mathematics month, there was a group dance competition ....” *** “Good Morning, class!” My teacher greeted the whole class.

"A dancing competition will be held at your grade level. Because it's National Math Month, the focus will be on numbers and operations," she explained.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“I need some volunteers for the group dancing competition. Who wants to take part in it?” our teacher wandered her eyes, waiting for someone to volunteer. “M-me…" I said hesitantly as I shook my head. My classmates’ yells and teases rang in my ears. I enjoy dancing, but I cannot perform in front of a crowd as I already cannot raise my hand in front of the class.

I got in. I practiced with my other teammates. But after a few weeks, the other team won. Edith, one of my classmates, saw how sad I was that day. I told her I was too reserved and shy. I also lacked effort as a member. She eventually assured me that there will still be tournaments in the future so I have no reason to worry.

I felt hopeful since Edith uplifted my spirit. My other classmates were still better than me at times, which is why they were chosen as our class representatives in our class, but Edith always reminds me that the right time will come for me. She taught me that there is always reason to hope.

A year later, our school had another competition, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the representatives. I asked my mother about the tournament because it would be held at another school and would last a week.

I bawled as she disapproved. She told me to just read my lectures and concentrate on the important stuff.

The day after, our class had a recitation in one of our subjects and that moment was unforgettable.

“Question 1, what is the seventh planet in the solar system?” My teacher wrote the question on the blackboard. She randomly picked a name and said…

“Ms. Kyla, can you answer the question?”

I bent my head and said, “I’m sorry, Ma’am, but I do not know the answer.”

Our teacher glared at me for a few seconds and blurted, “Do not be like Ms. Kyla. A student who is foolish and chose not to review the lessons,” she said to the whole class. *** “That day, I felt so embarrassed,” I said “What happened to you after that?” Marvin curiously asked.

“As a result of what happened, I had a hard time expressing myself to others particularly in front of a teacher. I am afraid to say something wrong. I'm putting pressure on myself to always be a smart student so that I don't have to go through that again,” I replied to him I was about to sit beside them when my phone suddenly rang. I immediately took it out of my pocket to see who was calling. It was my husband, Darryl.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“Yes, Honey? Did something happen?” I said as I answered the call.

“Nothing, just want to know if you're doing fine with your friends,” he replied.

“Yeah, we're having fun here. No, need to worry,” I said, giving him assurance.

“Okay, just checking on you. Have fun with your friends!”

He said then hung

up the call. I put my phone back in my pocket. I then realized that their eyes were all looking straight into mine.

“What?” I uttered “Was that your husband?” Leni asked.

I just nodded as an answer.

“How is it going between you and your husband?”

Tricia asked.

“We're just like the other couples. We fight, we get along, and then we fight again.” Everyone laughed at my answer.

“We've been friends for years and you haven't told us how you two met,” Leni said.

“I thought I already told you about this before,” I replied.

“Nah. What I do remember was when you and your first love broke up,” Miguel mentioned with a grin on his face.

“Well, that's more interesting…” Tricia said and we all bursted into laughter.

“When Josuha broke up with me, I cried for months. He was my first love, and we were only high school students at that time. I didn't regret being with him for almost a year. The only thing that I regret doing was making him my world.”

As I started talking, everyone stopped laughing. They looked at me as if they wanted to hear more.

“After a few months, I was able to move on. I saw him again on our Graduation day. He was the valedictorian of our batch. We congratulated each other but we remained friends. After all, we still had great memories together. My life continued without him. I met new friends, and eventually, I met my new lover, which is my husband. I think the reason why Joshua and I did not work out was that we were too young and we hadn't built ourselves at that time. But that's okay, I'm still glad that I've met someone like him, and I'm happy now with my husband.”

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“Yeah. It's difficult to know someone when you don't even know yourself yet.”

Miguel nodded and said,

“I met my husband when I was in college. You all know how close I am to Ms. Anne. She helped me a lot in overcoming my fears,” I continued.

“Oh. I almost forgot that we were schoolmates in elementary. Yeah, she was so nice. She was my favorite teacher. But, why did you have to bring up her name?” Tricia asked.

“She was my husband's older sister, so basically, we met because of her,”

I

answered. Their eyes widened because of shock.

“When I was in elementary school, I represented my school in different competitions, and during the time when I lost my momentum, she was there rooting for me. That time, the people who once cheered for me, started to doubt me. My self-esteem decreased because of that and I had a hard time sleeping every night. When I thought I failed everyone, she was one of the few who lifted me up. I remember the time when I was all alone crying in the practice room when she came. She saw me crying and comforted me,” I said.

I looked at my friends and all I saw was pity on their faces. I continued my story,

“It felt so good having a conversation with Ms. Anne that time. I took her advice and started to work on myself. Every morning, I look into my reflection and say, “I believe in you.” After that, I never missed a day saying those four words to myself. The day of the competition came, and I was so nervous, but fortunately, Ms. Anne was there. She was cheering for me, and that boosted my confidence. After the competitions, the results were out. I was hailed as the third placer. I did not regain my position as the champion, but still, I was happy as I regained my confidence. Thanks to Ms. Anne who helped me. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to become. I wanted to be like Ms. Anne. I want to be an instrument for others to see their potential, that's why I pursued teaching.”

“I also admire Ms. Anne. But, I didn't know that she was the one who inspired you to pursue teaching, Kyla,” Tricia said while stacking some wood on the bonfire. “I thought I already mentioned all of these. Did you all just forget about it because we're old?” I said while laughing. Everyone in the circle laughed as well. The serious atmosphere was filled again with our laughter.

“But you know, my parents were against my decision to pursue education.

They wanted me to become a lawyer, just like my grandfather. I never disobeyed them, that's why they were dumbfounded when I decided to take education in college. My parents always made sure that I lived in comfort.

They have always provided what I want and what I need ever since I was a child, and choosing the field that I truly wanted to pursue was not that easy.

I was so guilty for turning them down. They didn't understand me at first, but as time went by, they learned to accept it and supported me instead,” I added.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“You know, becoming an adult is a more perplexing, almost abstract concept than I had imagined when I was younger. I just assumed you'd reach a certain age and everything would make sense. I had no idea. When I saw my parents back then, I always thought they had it all together. As if they were certain of their paths, adored their jobs, and were perfect for their children.” I I am beginning to think of something deeper to share as I get old.

stared for a while with my friends as they were listening. Their eyes portrayed such agreement from what I have said.

“I assumed that at this age, everything would be easy. I remember you guys asking “how much do you make” “hey, when are you getting married?"

“How's it going? Do you have children or own a home? And “Take a look at what I've accomplished..." I said with a laughing tone.

“No harsh feelings though,” I reassured them. “Such phrases are common as we get older. At this point, there was a lot of pressure to keep up with how we were living our lives. There's this expectation that we have to do something spectacular.”

“I believe you were doing great all those years ago!” Christine replied.

“Yes, I enjoyed my job. I enjoyed teaching children. That was my calling, I knew. I assisted children in charting their own course in life. I've seen them come and go, but I've also seen them grow. Isn't that beautiful? For me, it was enough. In such a demanding profession, I had no intention of bearing my own child.” I giggled as I reminisced.

“We never thought you’d have children back then! You were so focused on your career,” Felicia said with a rush.

“Yeah. My very own children. I created a life when I thought I'd only be able to lead lives. Something I would treasure more than anything else. I remember my parents and how they raised me, and how I wanted to make up for their mistakes with my own children. I want to lift them up in all the best ways I could.”

I answered,

“It's exhausting,” I sighed for a second. “...for the most part. I wonder if I have lived my life solely on my own. Having a job that was exclusively for me. Not caring about anything in the world.”

“That’s totally impossible if it’s you, Kyla!” Carmen interrupted.

“Then it occurs to me that I have a long list of things I want to accomplish. I recall how my teacher helped me back then. I am reminded of my desires to assist more children as they grow older. My children, the children of others.” I paused. “Everything may not make sense at any point in life, but life is full of wonders. And I want it to be wonderful for children from the moment they are reminded of it.” I looked at all of them.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

“As a matter of fact, here I am. I am delighted to be here with everyone. I am delighted to share all of the pleasant memories with everyone. I suppose we are really getting old. I have no regrets. I have pride in the life I have lived. I am thankful for all the people that have been part of my life. I am happy to share this good life.”

I smiled and glanced at all of them—thought how lucky I still am to have them after all these years.

Now’s

I looked at Helen who was busy clinging to herself with her warm sweater, “

your time, Helen!” I nudged her as I sat down.

CONCEPT SUMMARY This story integrates the topic Psychosocial by Erik Erikson. He divides the life cycle

into

eight

stages,

from

infancy

to

late

adulthood,

and

each

stage

is

distinguished by a distinct developmental challenge or crisis that a person must overcome. These difficulties are made up of both internal psychological and external

social

influences.

These

difficulties

may

have

a

positive

or

negative

impact on one's personality development. Personal development opportunities abound, but so does the risk of failure. People who successfully deal with conflict leave the stage with psychological strengths that help become confident and healthy people. This will serve them well for the rest of their lives. If they do not deal with these conflicts effectively, they may not develop the necessary skills for a strong sense of self. Erikson's psychosocial development theory provides a framework for examining a person's growth over the course of a lifetime.

However, like other theories, Erikson's has flaws: he doesn't define how disputes are resolved in detail. He also doesn't explain how to progress from one step to the

next.

Two

characterize

conflicting

each

emotional

psychosocial

forces,

stage,

known

resulting

in

as a

opposed crisis

dispositions,

that

must

be

addressed. Each crisis must be dealt with as quickly as possible, otherwise a person's psychological well-being will be jeopardized. A successful resolution of the conflict, on the other hand, leads to a healthy personality and the realization of a fundamental virtue. These character strengths are used by the ego to resolve subsequent crises.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITY 10 1. Read the book, Healing the Eight Stages of Life by Dennis Linn, Mathew Linn and Sheila Fabricant-Linn. This is a classic book that uses the Eriksonian stages for personal healing. A lot of people have been changed by this book.

Have a reflection diary to write your thoughts and insights about each stage.

2. Read on Erikson's ideas about the work he did with the Sioux Indians and his research on Gandhi.

SUMMARY AND SYNTHESIS RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Stage 1: Hope Make an effort to make students comfortable and safe with one’s hands. Give them an assurance that they are loved and cared for.. Love and attention is important at this stage. In line with that, we as a teacher should give them 100% attention, love and care. Recognize and respond to the learner's communication style, which may include crying, body movements, cooing, or even words.

Stage 2: Will Be the cheerleaders of our students. Make them proud of themselves. Guide them and teach them the lessons that they need to learn. Make them feel that they're doing good and give the validation they need in order for them to learn. Motivate them to improve their self-esteem. Trust and support them as they learn to do things for themselves. Establish clear guidelines and consequences with their independence.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Stage 3: Purpose Guide

your

important

children

that

toward

parents

certain

continue

to

friends, enforce

activities, safe

or

choices.

boundaries

and

Also

it

is

encourage

children to make good choices. Set boundaries and encourage people to make good decisions. Set clear guidelines and consequences for their initiative and serve as a role model. Balance encouragement and exploration to assist children in making appropriate decisions. Do not try to over-direct the learners. Allow learners to play and widen their imagination. Give them roles; Provide activities that will offer tasks to accomplish and challenges to face that are appropriate for the learner.

Stage 4: Confidence Praise their effort, provide guidance but don’t take over, support and encourage them. Also, we can help kids develop a sense of realistic competence by avoiding excessive praise and rewards. Create and explore opportunities for children to shine. Avoid making comparisons as each child is unique. Help them discover their talents,

abilities

and

skills.

Encourage

them

to

try

anything.

Boost

their

confidence. Provide appropriate feedback and awards for their efforts and work.

Stage 5: Fidelity Parents, guardians, and teachers should have faith with the children. Let the children

do

what

they

want

to

do

and

let

them

explore.

They

will

discover

something about themselves through their exploration and will also develop their sense of self. They should let them explore with their own guidance. Doing this will enable the children to know their identity and not be confused.

Stage 6: Love At this stage, they are considered adults. But regardless, the parents, teachers, and guardians should still guide them and advise on relationships. Sharing some advice or experiences will help these considered adults on how they will handle their relationships be it friendship or intimate relationships.

Stage 7: Care Assist them in taking care of themselves by staying healthy; remind them of health-promoting activities. Remind them of the positive relationships they have.

Guide them in their personal and professional lives; assist them in developing a sense of participation Involve them in community service or anything else that will benefit others. Continue to introduce new skills and experiences that others can also benefit from. Be an inspiration and a constant source of motivation for them.

Assist and guide them in making their own life decisions.

Stage 8: Wisdom Give importance to their narratives and assist them in assessing them. Remind them of the good things that have happened to them, as well as the moral of the bad. Remind them of their family, work, and accomplishments. Encourage them to express gratitude.Be a social support or assist them in reaching out to others.

Assist them in focusing on the positive. Remind them that they can still try new things.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Children need people in order to be human”.

-Urie Bronfenbrenner

T The

The vast sky that was colored in its usual midnight blue seemed to be at peace

while

the

moon

was

accompanied by the stars that were busy sparkling.

sound

of

crickets

resounded

in

the

peaceful forest and once in a while, the wind and the tall trees danced gracefully as if they were

jiving

to

a

piece

of

lively

music.

However, us; a group of campers didn't feel like dancing with them as we shivered when the cool breeze of air seeped right through our

thick

sweaters.

gathered

There

around

are

the

twelve

bonfire;

of

us

sitting

comfortably on our camping chairs.

It was now my turn to share. It had been years since

I

last

did

it

with

them.

I

sighed

and

thought, how time indeed flies quickly.

“Ah! If I were decades younger, I would’ve spread my arms wide open to welcome this kind of breeze!” I exclaimed which made the others agree in unison. I abruptly raised my hands and moved them closer to the

bonfire

but

at

a

safer

distance.

Accidentally, a small square-sized object fell from the left pocket of my sweater.

“Hey, what’s that?” sit

beside

something

me, fell

was down

Kyla, who happened to quick on

to

the

notice

that

ground.

Her

question caught everyone’s attention, causing eyes to look down at where she was gazing at. I also looked down and my eyes widened at the item on the ground.

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

Oh, this is mine!”

“

I happily said and carefully bent my upper body to pick and

clean its surface. When it was already neat enough, I enthusiastically showed it to

“This is my pocket photo album. I always bring this with me during special occasions.” them.

Felicia raised a brow,

“Does it contain your pictures from your travels?”

she

asked. I smiled widely as I shook my head.

“It’s a hassle to bring the other photo albums that contain my travel photos, you know, too heavy since there’s too much.” I boasted lightly and earned little teases. Felicia chuckled and shook her head.

Then what do you keep in there? I’m getting curious since you’re the most sentimental among our circle of friends.” Leni couldn’t contain her excitement “

and curiosity to see what was inside the album while the rest of the group agreed with what she had said.

“Well, It is not the typical photo album.” I started and gazed at the front cover page. “I have been living for more than seven decades and have captured a lot of memories and pictures, but the few photos in this album are enough to make me relive the most wonderful and meaningful moments in my life.”

All of a sudden, the atmosphere became sentimental as the faces of my best pals softened. It seemed as though they were influenced by the rasp and tenderness of my voice.

Miguel let out a light chuckle, “You might want to share with us the photos in that album, Helen. Remember, wonderful memories are best reminisced with friends,” he teased.

“Miguel is right. And reminiscing memories with friends is almost the same as drinking beers with them–” Celino was cut off when Leni playfully nudged him.

“You’ve been drinking beers for decades, have mercy on your stomach! Or do you want it to appear like an inflated balloon?”

We giggled in unison and right before Celino got the chance to respond– I

“Alright, alright, no more teasing since you guys may end up bickering just like before,” is what I’ve said, and swiftly flipped the front clapped my hands.

cover of the album. They immediately gathered near my chair to see the pictures, some even protested as the cool breeze of air struck us once again.

Upon looking down at the photo album – our eyes were greeted by a young woman

in

the

picture

who

was

wearing

her

formal

attire.

She's

not

staring

straight at where the camera is positioned. Her right hand was up in the air and her lips are slightly parted since she seemed to be muttering something.

“Isn’t that your oath-taking after passing the LPT?”

Joy pointed out while she

was sitting comfortably at my right side. I quickly nodded in response.

“Uh-huh. And I was very ecstatic that time because my parents were both present at the ceremony.”

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

“Oh, yes. Of course, they were there. They wouldn’t want to miss that important ceremony because it shows how much you look up to them, Helen.” Lizzie smiled widely at me.

“Yeah. They were both my role models ever since I was little. I deeply admire their passion, dedication, effectiveness, and efficiency in teaching. They are my biggest influencers. Hence, it was no longer surprising when I decided to pursue the same career which is one of the greatest decisions that I have ever made in life. I live with no regrets on that.” Then I flipped the next page and Kyla The smile that was plastered in my lips immediately widened.

gasped.

No one would be able to forget that moment in our lives!”

“

Kyla exclaimed

while pointing her index finger at the picture. It was our group picture; all were wearing subtle pink shirts and dresses that we flaunted confidently. They were holding wine glasses while I held my birthday cake and our background was the sunset that was probably in its best appearance.

“Yep! This was taken during my 20th birthday. Who would’ve thought that my parents would book a staycation for all of us? Plus, it was our first staycation without any parents!”

“Exactly! Not just for once that I thought Aunt doesn't trust us enough since she doesn’t let you go out with us during the weekend but surprisingly, she was beyond grateful and trustful to all of us as your friends!” she said, which made me nod repeatedly.

Christine nodded,

I also thought she doesn’t like our circle of friends. Who would have thought that it was actually the opposite?” Tricia added and caressed the soft “

locks of my hair as she was just behind me.

“But that staycation was really the best, pals. We were just so fortunate that Helen’s birthday was right after the end of our second semester. It seemed as if we were on cloud nine the moment we arrived at the beach and the hotel!” Lizzie recalled and rubbed her cold hands.

“I couldn’t agree more, Liz. Also, that staycation had resolved our issues back then,” said Felicia and everyone agreed.

Then we found ourselves smiling with our eyes almost sparkling for that heartwhelming memory. It was only Celino who decided to break the moment.

was the first time that you all drank beers with me,”

“That

he blurted in a serious

tone. In an instant, everyone bursted into laughter.

“Don't you have anything else in mind aside from beers, Celino?”

Leni shook

her head.

“No,” he replied, though in his serious voice but with a grin on his lips.

“Is that all the pictures that you keep in your album, Helen?” Marvin

diverted

the topic to prevent further bickering from Leni and Celino. It was my cue to flip the current page to proceed to the next one.

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

“Of course not, I still have three pictures to show,”

I retorted as they focused

on the next picture which still features me; busily mixing the ingredients for the polvorons that I wanted to make at that time.

“Oh! I remember the story behind this picture…”

Joy said in a not-so-cheerful

voice.

Her reaction made me smile, but it’s probably not the kind of smile that will make anyone smile back, for sure it was very different from what I had a while ago. I

“I am an only child, and I completely understand that my parents are busy with their work and can barely spare some time for other stuff but at times, I do long for them too even at the age of 21, at least in this picture,” I explained, imagining that the spark in my eyes heaved a deep breath and let out a sigh.

that was present a while ago was nowhere to be found now. Before someone could utter a word, I already heaved another smile, but this time, livelier.

“During our semester break, I really had nothing else to do so I would just idle and wait for them to come home. One time when they arrived, they brought polvorons that were made by a coworker. After eating dinner, we were able to finish all of it because it was really tasty, so I suggested that we should buy it again. However, Mama told me that those were quite expensive.” I trailed off.

“It is right then and there that you have realized that learning how to make polvoron during that break can be a leisure time that could also ease your loneliness. Also, you could make some for your parents if you wanted to. Killing two birds with one stone," she continued the Joy let out a sigh,

story.

“Your memory is still quite sharp, Joy. To think that you’ve almost forgotten important information about your own life and yet you still managed to remember one of the most meaningful memories of mine that I’ve shared with you before,” I commented and the latter just shrugged her I chuckled,

shoulders.

Kyla let out a sigh and then shivered as another cool breeze of air hit them.

“Maybe we should proceed with the fourth picture, hmm?”

she suggested

and everyone agreed. I gladly obliged and flipped the page since I do not also wish to prolong the gloomy feeling caused by that memory.

“Aww! Right! You decided to sell them since they were really tasty and easy to make!” Tricia reacted upon seeing the next picture wherein I was holding boxes that contained the homemade polvorons.

A genuine smile and a proud look flashed in my eyes as I nodded in agreement to

“Yep. But the main reason why I decided to sell them was that I figured, I also had things that I wanted to purchase but my allowance was only enough for my meals, transportation, and other school fees. I knew that I cannot always ask for money from my parents since it could be used for much better reasons. Moreover, it was already uncomfortable asking for a bigger amount of allowance, what more if I would just spend it buying unnecessary stuff?” I paused to breathe.

Tricia.

Page | 114

ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

“The revenue from selling polvorons enabled me to afford things that made me happy.”

“You were simply commendable, Helen.” Felicia smiled as her eyes screamed admiration. “As far as I can remember, I just spent the whole semester break doing nothing aside from sleeping.” then she chuckled which encouraged everyone to share what they did during that semester break.

When the small chatter subsided, Miguel cleared his throat.

picture? Finally the last one, right?” he asked.

“How about the fifth

“You sound like you have urgent errands to do but you just have to finish listening first,” Carmen joked.

I giggled.

“Alright, let me show you the last picture,” and flipped the page. As

soon as they saw the picture, again, everyone started chattering to each other, completely reminiscing what had happened on that day. It is still a group picture, but it was clear that we weren’t celebrating that day.

“We got stranded because of the typhoon and when the situation got worse, we quickly volunteered to help the victims,” Celino seriously muttered, making us shiver as his voice was naturally a cold baritone.

“And that was our first time assisting victims of a typhoon. It was so devastating watching them weep for their deceased loved ones, their sorrow when they could not save their hard-earned properties, and for the trauma that they have acquired from the calamity,” I continued.

“Come to think of it, that was definitely one of the heaviest events in our lives, but also meaningful.”

Christine let out a sigh,

“It taught us a lot of things that we were able to apply in our lives until now I decided to close the photo album and heaved a smile. We were able to realize that nothing’s permanent. Time is short and we should be kinder, appreciative, and expressive to our loved ones. Since we have no powers to control time and death, there is no absolute power to preserve everything that we want to.”

Leni hummed in agreement,

The sound created by the dancing trees, the wind, crickets, and the fire from the bonfire completed the sentimental mood. Everyone turned silent and decided to gaze up at the sky and fascinated ourselves with the moon, stars, and the slow movements of the clouds.

“Before, it was only Helen who was sentimental. Now, it’s terrible that all of us are already sentimental folks.” Celino dramatically broke the silence which made everyone laugh heartily. The same laugh we had during my 20th Birthday and after surviving the Super Typhoon.

Tricia stood up,

right?”

Page | 115

“Alright! For a mood-changer, I think it is finally my turn, ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

CONCEPT SUMMARY Ecological Systems Theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner According to the Ecological Systems Theory, often known as the Human Ecology Theory,

different

types

of

social

contexts

influence

human

development.

According to Bronfenbrenner, a kid's intrinsic traits interact with the environment and determine how the child develops. It is critical to analyze a child's growth in the

context

of

numerous

contexts

in

order

to

fully

comprehend

him

or

her.

Bronfenbrenner's idea sought to attract attention to the larger cultural context that people encounter as they grow, as well as the ways in which the many layers of the environment interact.

Ecological Systems of Development by Urie Bronfenbrenner According to Bronfenbrenner's theory, historical context has a significant impact on

growth.

He

also

stated

that

children

are

active

participants

in

their

development rather than passive consumers of external stimuli.

The

child's

immediate

and

smallest

surroundings

are

referred

to

as

the

microsystem. The microsystem includes the kid's intimate interactions with his or her family, teachers, classmates, carers, coaches, religious leaders, and other persons who have direct contact with the youngster. The relationships in this case are both bidirectional and reciprocal. The diverse surroundings in the microsystem will impact how the kid develops, and how the child behaves to the individuals in the microsystem will influence how they treat the child in return.

The

mesosystem

is

the

connectivity

of

the

several

microsystems

in

the

developing child's life. This includes connections between the home and the school, classmates and family, and family and church, to mention a few.

Exosystems

are

relationship

with

development. surroundings,

surroundings the

These as

kid

but

contexts

well

as

or

the

institutions have

may

the

ability

include

greater

that

the

have to

just

impact

parent's

neighborhood

a

or

tangential the

child's

profession

and

community

and

extended family.

The macrosystem is the kid's biggest and most distant group of people and places, yet it still has a substantial impact on the child. It is a wide system that includes cultural patterns and ideals, as well as political and economic institutions. Children raised in diverse cultures will grow differently as a result of their cultural influences.

The

chronosystem

refers

to

the

variations

and

consistency

that

occur

in

developing situations across time. Events in family structure, parent work, professional prospects, and massive social changes such as economic cycles and war may all be part of this system.

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

ACTIVITY 10 Read

the

following

questions.

Recall

your

childhood.

You

may

also

ask

your

parents for some information. Write your answers on the graphic organizer below.

Answer the following sentence completion items.

1. When I was 5 years old, my parents _________________________.

2. As a child, my unforgettable playmates were __________________.

3. When I was in elementary school, I regularly watched the television show ____________.

4. When I was growing up, we went to church in ___________________.

5. I cannot forget my teacher who ___________________.

6. When I was growing up, I was away from ___________________.

7. When I was in high school, I was close to ___________________.

8. As a child, I can recall this big news about ___________________.

9. The

most

serious

challenge

our

family

experienced

was

elementary

school

___________________.

10. The

most

important

thing

that

I

learned

from

my

was______________.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Classroom Having

management

an

is

ecological

important

approach

in is

the

learning

emphasizing

process the

of

every

child.

importance

of

interdependence of the students. In teaching in this stage, the approach must not focus on just one area. Teaching strategies accommodates the entire learning experience of the students.

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

The environment plays a big part in maintaining the momentum of learning. The classroom condition - designs must be organized with very timely yet relevant ideas and concepts. So that it will promote mental stability to be able to focus on the discussions. The student can understand the concepts more easily if they feel comfortness by having a convenient learning space.

Strategies need to be flexible because of aiming to approach all aspects that promote and influence the student’s growth. Activities that allow them to work independently and team will develop their sense of responsibility. It is better to let them work and learn on their own. From that, they will raise awareness about their own

abilities,

arrangement

skills, where

strengths they

will

and face

weaknesses. each

other

In

teamwork

helps

the

activities,

students

to

an

open

themselves more and shares emotional connection to the team.

Aside

from

having

the

child-friendly

classroom

setting

and

flexible

teaching

strategies, giving attention to the behavioral state of the students is also an important matter. Our classroom setting and teaching strategies will depend on how the students behave. Their maturation level and thinking capacity must be addressed

accordingly

to

prevent

misunderstanding

and

miscommunication

between the learner and educator.

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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY

Page | 119

OBTEC I 1 - 6 | iSAISip

“Who are you?”, asked the caterpillar.

Alice replied rather shyly, “I-I hardly know, Sir, just at present at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I must have changed several times since then”.

-Lewis Carroll

P

ursuit of happiness or success?”

I

suddenly asked the circle.

“Success, of course!”

Leni said as

if it was a no-brainer question.

“Happiness all the way!” Joy shouted.

“SUCCESS!”

Marvin

and

Miguel

answered

with the same energy.

“Okay, okay! Hold your horses, everyone!” I said in between laughs.

I asked this question because I suddenly thought of what became of our journey.

Was it really the pursuit of happiness or success that matters?” I explained. “

“I just read yesterday about the Developmental Tasks Theory by Robert Havighurst. Has anyone here heard of this theory?” I asked.

“I think I have! Developmental tasks are tasks which arise at or about a certain period of an individual’s lifespan, is that it?” Carmen asked with her brows furrowed.

“Yes, that’s it! The developmental tasks per stage: Infancy and Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, Adolescence, Early Adulthood, Middle Adulthood, and LASTLY, the Late Adulthood.” I counted with my fingers.

“And now, what about it?”

Kyla

asked,

having no patience.

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

“Haha! It was said in the theory that if an individual successfully accomplished the developmental tasks in these stages, it will lead them to happiness and satisfaction and consequently, the approval of the community and society,” I explicated nearly out of breath.

“Well, Tricia. Do you think you have successfully accomplished the Developmental Tasks?” Celino asked while eating a hotdog on a stick.

“Hmm.. interesting question. I have actually been contemplating it since yesterday. Do you want me to share it with you?” I asked.

“Yes, of course!” Everyone uttered at the same time.

“Okay, this will definitely be a long story! Don’t you dare get bored,”

I said

jokingly.

“I remember my mom's story during my Infancy and Early Childhood, when I was 6 months old I really loved to eat. I always grabbed my toys and put them in my mouth because everything I see, for me, is food. She told me that I loved potatoes, squash, and chayote. She tried to feed me a bitter melon and I didn’t like it; on my first bite, my reaction was so funny, and I shook my head side to side. As time went by, I have learned to take solid food,” I explained. They are all young sheeps waiting for their caregiver to feed them as they all waited for me to continue.

“She also told me my first word was ‘mik’ and that means milk.” I added.

“Every time I say this word, it means that I’m hungry or the milk that I drank was not enough. I eventually learned to talk.”

“Really? Your first word was ‘mik’ and not ‘mama’?”

Christine surprisingly

asked and I nodded with a giggle.

“When I turned 1-year old, that’s the time I tried to stand up and step my feet. I was trying to discover how to walk. I always fall to the point that I have a lot of wounds on my knees.”

My mom told me that I always pee on our bed every night. At that time, they trained me to control my body waste and directed me to the proper place to eliminate those wastes. My dad was quite upset because of the smell of the bed, but he didn’t have a choice but to support me because my mom always said it’s normal. That is a funny story.” I smiled and shook my “

head. They all did too.

“And then, one time, my dad had a surprise for my mom, and I knew it. She told me not to lie because it’s bad. So, when my mom came home, I went to her and told her that dad has a surprise for her. When dad found out what I did, my mom laughed and said ‘that’s my girl! She can’t lie to me. Your surprise failed.’” The 11 of them, once again, giggled. The others grabbed a snack on the table and went back to their seats.

“I remember my mom taught me to always do the right thing, that's why I could never lie to her. She told me that when I do something wrong, I must be reprimanded. That was when I valued honesty.” My old pals agreed.

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

Oh, and when I was in 3rd grade, I would always play with my nearby friends outside our house.” I started reminiscing about the fun moments of my “

Middle Childhood years.

“My mother often scolds me for staying outside during the afternoon and playing under the sun,” I said while laughing. I saw them eating and so, I also grabbed a snack and opened it.

“I started getting along with my age-mates through playing games like patintero and chinese garter. Because of that, I gained many friends,” I continued while munching.

“Most of my friends were also my classmates back then, and we were together until Grade 6. They would always support and elect me as the class secretary because I have good handwriting.” I said while acting as if I am writing in the air, “And the most memorable task is when the teacher asks me every day to write the names of the noisy ones and those standing in front of the blackboard,” Everybody laughed synchronously as if they had unlocked a golden childhood memory.

“I also remember trying out for the volleyball varsity team because my teachers said it fits a tall girl like me. However, I did not enjoy it as much as when I played basketball. Little did I know that even sports should have gender-fitting roles to consider! Oh well, maybe because they think boys are stronger than girls?” I rolled my eyes as I looked back on the gender stereotyping I experienced back in the days.

“My mother said I can be feminine and masculine. I believe a person can achieve their goals regardless of gender,” I said loud and proud. Everyone cheerfully clapped their hands, and laughter filled the circle.

“I was also active in joining essay-writing competitions and math quiz bees, and it was because my mother has always encouraged me to join! I can say that I did not regret following her, as I have grown better from the various experiences I acquired.” I gazed my eyes around our circle and saw them listening attentively, so I continued with my story.

“I remember when my mom first taught me how to brush my teeth and how to tie my hair myself. Most importantly, when she taught me how to be a good and thoughtful individual. I am thankful that ever since I was a child, she never missed a chance to instill values that I still hold dearly, and I am glad that I was able to pass them to my daughter.” A tear fell down my cheek.

I suddenly missed my late mother,

When I felt that the atmosphere was already getting serious, I shifted the tone of my voice.

“Oh, dear! How fast time flies, indeed!”

I said lively just to break the

silence. And everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

“Indeed! It was like yesterday when we were still innocent children playing out in the streets,” Miguel said with sadness and longing visible in his eyes.

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I then started reminiscing about my Adolescent years, I remember the persistent hardships that led to my eventual success. The idea of adolescence is varied, and confining

it

to

one

exact

definition

leaves

a

lot

out.

Adolescence

differs

depending on one's background, culture, race, and/or status.

“I remembered when I visited our old house last month. It has brought back a lot of memories. Hearing and sensing things as if I was still in there living the life I used to have. The authority figure and the nagging mother still stands above me and loudly screams across the room, “Nak! Mag hugas ka naman! Tumulong sa gawaing bahay!” I grudgingly ignored the demand since I don't want to wash the dishes and still chose to believe the "Teen" in the house has no obligation whatsoever. My mom counted from 1 to 3 and suddenly a flip-flop flew across the room and hit me in the face!”

Yet mom still did the dishes, the chilly water ran over my mother's warm, soft hands as she continued to wash the dishes and I continued to be guilty like a prodigal child. My youth wasn’t difficult as I initially thought, considering I came from the greatest mother anyone could ask for.

“My adolescence has taught me many things about myself and the power and potential inside me that can contribute to bigger and better things.

Some people may say that adolescence is the best time of your life since you're finally maturing and reaching a point in your life where you can look after yourself. You don't have your parents pestering and nagging you about things you find annoying. There are a lot more opportunities for you to meet new people now and experience new things.”

But having to walk again in the ragged corridor of our old house has made me realize that “living with the ones I love” is the best part of my life. Adolescence is indeed an experience that no one else can discredit or take away from you.

The atmosphere at this reunion was getting serious, and I still cannot believe that we all developed through the years. We were just teens who enjoyed life without anything to worry about for tomorrow, teens who did not hold back in aspiring to live a successful life. And as we look back together, we are now letting our hearts speak of the years we have battled in life just to be where we are now. I saw them waiting for my words; these peeps really are Marites’.

“Oh, you guys, do not laugh at me! I know I was a studious person before, and you all foretell that I will be an old woman with no husband when I reach this age, but yeah, sorry, I have my man now. You were all wrong!” I shouted the last phrase while laughing, and they all laughed. They knew me well enough to tell me that I would live my late years alone. I was not into dating before, and they have witnessed how I turned down men who tried to court me way back. Funny to look back.

“Let’s cheer for Tricia’s achievement because we predicted it wrong!”

Miguel shouted, and everyone laughed loudly. “Yeah, and since I know you are all for chikas, I will tell my Early Adulthood story now. Woo!” I said with humor visible in my eyes. “I’ve met this man at an organization that supports homeless children; you know that I am into volunteering since then; Page | 123

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my heart is for helping people. We’ve conversed several times, but all were casual, and all were about the organization. All for the children we were taking care of,” I uttered while looking at their serious faces.

“Talking for months, we both clicked. We found out we have the same interests, life principles, and aspirations, and we were both careercentered. He was a walking green flag. He had the qualities I’m looking for in a certain man. But I was too afraid to admit it. However, he made the first move. He told me that he has feelings for me and is willing to show how serious he is for things to work between us,” I said while lovingly remembering those blissful moments.

Things were not easy at first. We both are each other’s first romantic partner, and we’re kind of adjusting. Upon being with him through the years, he decided to finally propose to me on our tenth anniversary. We saw each other spending the rest of our lives together. After two years, I gave birth to our little angel and bundle of joy, Heart Desiree.

"Oh, I miss my family!”

I enunciated as I wiped

tears from my eyes; I became emotional when talking about my baby. Having her is a blessing.

“I remembered how we planned things before marriage and building a family. I remember not having enough sleep because I was taking care of my child. I was a teacher, a mother, and a wife. Nevertheless, I can still say that I am happy performing those roles. I established my career while taking care of my child and husband. I volunteered to teach homeless children. It was all exhausting yet fulfilling,” I proudly said. They were all smiling.

“I am truly grateful for what I have become. I am living my life with no regrets and all. I am proud that we all changed from indecisive teens to grown adults,” I stated as I genuinely smiled with all of them.

After all the laughter, drinks, stories and fun, I realized that we really did turn into full-grown responsible individuals.

“Everything has changed, from our physical appearance, to how we think and act,” I mumbled.

“So! Pursuit of happiness or success? As for me, it will always be BOTH. You see, the pursuit of success will definitely lead to a happier life. So it is definitely the pursuit of success, then pursuit of happiness will follow. I hope you can still follow me!” I laughed at their I remembered my first question,

confused faces.

As I finished sharing, they all stretched their arms and stood up from their chairs and tents. We ceased the fire as we decided to head back home. The night has been long enough for us as old people. We couldn’t bear to sleep here in the forest since we are worried an emergency might arise and we do not have anyone but ourselves.

We all fixed our stuff, packed the leftover food and disarranged the logs from the circle. The wind grew colder and we finally said our goodbyes.

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

I hope that the next time we will reunite is not in someone's wake,” I jokingly

“

said and knocked on the wood beside me three times.

Everyone parted their own ways back to their everyday life.

The next day, I dressed casually, drove my car, and went to a place that is very close to mine, the cemetery. I bought flowers beforehand as a present and put them in a grave.

“I miss you so much Mama and Papa, you are both right, adulting is hard especially when the both of you left because of a car accident. I am now finally healed and have moved on, I am now financially and mentally stable, I still am and will always be moving forward in life. I already have my own family, you now have a grandchild and I hope you are both happy, because I surely am now. I love and miss you both.”

I grew up independently, it is needless to say that Mama and Papa are both proud of me for accomplishing the different developmental tasks.

I left the cemetery with a smile on my face. Every lesson they have taught has now paid off.

CONCEPT SUMMARY Development is the process of growth and change that people go through in life.

Robert J. Havighurst was a psychologist in the 20th century who developed a theory on how people develop through life. The developmental tasks concept assumes

that

social

and

educational

arrangements

impede

or

support

the

corresponding tasks. There are different types of tasks: One distinguishes an individual

or

group

specif

developmental

tasks

from

general,

cross-cultural

developmental tasks.

A

developmental task

unsuccessful

is a task that arises at or about a certain period in life,

achievement

of

which

leads

to

an

inability

to

perform

tasks

associated with the next period or stage in life.

Infancy and early childhood (0-6 years old) Later childhood (6–13 years old) Adolescence (13–18 years old) Early Adulthood (19–30 years old) Middle Age (30–60 years old) Later maturity (60 years old and over)

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

If the child completes the "correct" tasks in the "correct" time frame, they will feel happy and accepted by society. Failing to complete these tasks will make the individual unhappy and out of place in society.

REFERENCES: What is developmental task according to havighurst?

Havighurst’s Developmental Task Theory - Practical Psychology (practicalpie.com)

ACTIVITY 12 1. You are a bundle of possibilities. You are meant to develop like: other living thing or else you will rut. Remember "Growth is evidence of life." If you are alive, then you must be growing and developing. Are you on your way to development?

2. Like you, each of your future students is also a bundle of possibilities. How should you look at them in terms of development? Write down your reflections.

There's no wrong answer, remember.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Infancy and Early Childhood Parent Support System At this stage, the child is starting to learn and explore different kinds of basic and necessary activities for their development and their daily life. It is very important a support system from their parent. For the child to feel encouraged. Support their development and milestone. For the child, it will be easy for them to do the task if they know that their parent is there, willing to help, guide, and cheer them up.

Compliment the child for all of his abilities, interests, and experiences positively, supporting and encouraging manner.

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

This will boost his self-esteem, confidence, and willingness to attempt new things.

Middle Childhood Let them interact and build a good relationships with others.

When your child is playing with other children let them be. In that case, they can build a relationship with others. They will learn to interact with different children.

They can develop patience and social skills which will help them to be active.

Allowing

a

child

to

explore

themselves

may

lead

them

to

attain

personal

independence. A child shouldn’t be hindered from doing the things they love; they must be supported and encouraged to try new things to develop themselves.

Exploring allows them to know themselves on a deeper level; this may result in finding

where

they

fit

and

discovering

their

hobbies,

interests,

dreams,

and

capabilities. Proper guidance is needed as they go through exploration, make sure you are with them and let them feel that you support and love them so they may feel that they are doing the right thing.

Adolescence Let them discover themselves and the environment.

At this stage, the child learns about themselves. They will discover new things in themselves like who really they are. They also discover their want in their life. Also, they will develop independence. They can stand on their own. If your child is like this don’t dictate what to do because they will discover to themself what they want and what to do.

Early Adulthood Good decision-making strategies It is very important in this stage the good decisions making because they are starting a serious life. They will start to choose a partner, have a family, manage a home, and more. That task needs a proper decision. Because when you enter this stage the responsibility is getting bigger and heavier. And when you make a decision you have to consider a lot of things so, it is important to think first before making a decision. A maturing child may find the adulthood stage challenging as it is a period of adjustment to new patterns of life and social expectations. It is good to instill that they are progressing towards a more mature mindset, life, interests, and new roles to perform. It is no longer teenage year where actions are mainly out of indecisiveness rather actions are based on commitments and responsibilities. It is adequate that as they grow older, we teach them as a parent to be emotionally, socially, financially, and spiritually mature; in that way, they are equipped with the necessary skills needed for the next stage of life.

Middle Adulthood Invest in yourself At this stage, you have to invest in yourself because people at this stage are not getting younger anymore. It is important to invest in your future, especially in your health. People at this age are starting to adjust to the aging stage wherein people are starting to get old and just enjoying their life. You are not learning but also you are teaching and assisting teenagers.

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Late Adulthood Reduce, Secure and Enjoy.

Reduce in terms of unhealthy food and bad habits. Because people in this stage are starting to decrease their physical strength. For them to be able to live a long life they have to reduce and start healthy living. Secure your future They are nearly in the retirement stage so it will reduce their income. Before retirement, it is a must to secure yourself. Enjoy, this is the time that you will enjoy your life.

You’ve done a lot for your family and now it’s time for you to enjoy yourself.

Close Peers Support System Closest friends are the one that we should value, because they know us and know our capacity. They can be our support system when life gets tough and you can have your friend to share your thoughts and hardships.

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Epilogue WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE OLD SECOND PERSON’S POV It has been a week since the camp. The elders went back to their regular lives—crocheting, grilling hotdogs, going to dental appointments and bonding with families. After the reunion, they all spent their time as if there was no tomorrow.

They eagerly treasured everyone’s sharings and stories. From each of their friends’ experiences, they chose not to live their lives with no regrets. They looked back how they were from teens and now that they had white hair. They remembered the individuals who bettered them. They recollected their happy memories and the deeds they have done.

From those, they realized that being old is having the feeling of not being able to do stuff that they used to do—hike in a short span of time, backflip, exercise regularly and even stay up late every night. They have contemplated that being old, weak and fragile, is the same as a hundred-year-old tree who desperately wants to move around to avoid the sunlight and look for shelter when it is raining. But just like them, it cannot easily be moved as it has roots that are tightly and strongly grounded like they were memories engraved.

But, the 12 friends also realized that when aging, they can finally retire, rest and do whatever they want to.

When aging, they can be discounted. When aging, they can effortlessly give advice. When aging, they can manage their priorities. When aging, they can check out stuff on their checklists. When aging, they already cannot sweat the small things.

From childhood to adulthood and old age, they have become wiser. They have gained emotional maturity.

It is only up to them whether they will feel fulfillment or frustration when they realize they did not achieve or develop integrity throughout their lives. It is their choice if they will reminisce about the good deeds they have performed, or dwell on the bad ones. The fact that they would even question themselves proves that they indeed are wise, because they consider what perspective is more important and which is more healthy.

However, the question still remains. What does it feel like to be old?

The answer is, you.

Yes, you, reader, can only answer that. Amidst your journey and development from when you were born until now you’re in your wheelchairs, it is only up to you how you would consider what ‘old’ means. It is even up to you to choose whether you are going to live like an old person, or stay being a kid at heart.

It is only up to you how you can still make your lives worthwhile.

After all, it’s yours.

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Acknowledgement OBTEC WANSIX CLASS OF 2021-2022 SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS:

PROOFREADERS: De Leon Macascas Ordiano Pilapil Visen

LAYOUT ARTISTS: De Leon Ordiano Manegdeg

WRITERS

Lackiegen Casibag Balao

Vonn Derick Belando Bunao

Bezalel Mojado Caday

Maybeline Cagara

Angelo Urbano Caigas

Bea Abanco Casimiro

Kyle Salvante Celino

Elizabelle Macasinag De Leon

Denise Cameron Acosta Empuerto

Michelle Sabocor Ensamega

Kurt Lacsamana Gako

Klariz Bulan Gonzalez

OBTEC 1-6

WRITERS

Evangeline Billones Jamisola

Cielo Ancaya Lancion

Cyrene Devota Lucaylucay

Arabela Baraniano Macascas

Richelle Ann Habla Malto

Hannah Medina Manaois

Leoandro Chavez Manegdeg

Rosel Insoy Marbella

Francesca Venisse Cimanez Mayorga

Lei Anne Mateo Yap

Jeremiah Angeline Merano

Celine Ortillan Monilas

OBTEC 1-6

WRITERS

Angeline Juano Ocado

Wadaiko Mari Rosales Olairez

Sophia Amor Glase Oliverio

Ysabel Josephine Yerro Ordiano

AC Karrel Victorino Paez

Thisha Mae Cruz Panaligan

Rhonfhel Cruzpero Pilapil

Monsour Medina Pinlac

Angel Tan Pulgaridad

Jusmer Ian Simon Ramos

Bernadette Joy Donor Retirva

Christina Marie Lademora Rollon

OBTEC 1-6

WRITERS

Angeline Boac Tenajeros

Johnray Taguifranca Torres

OBTEC 1-6

Diane Isabel Austria Visen