Developmental Psychology

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Emie Jane Teh Avenido was the firstborn child of Emmanuel Saavedra Avenido and Arlita Teh Avenido. She was born at Davao Doctors Hospital, year 2000 the 7th day of May at 1:07 in the afternoon. Avenido’s parents’ relationship wasn’t easy to begin with, her father’s family wasn’t approved of her mother given that Emmanuel was 10 years older than Arlita. Being poor was also the reason why they disapproved Arlita, she grew up in poverty and was only in highschool that time. As disapproval of both parties continued, they decided to run away in Bicol where Avenido was conceived. The marriage took place in Sta. Ana Church dated back on April 22, 1999. After 2 years Avenido was born, her family welcomed a baby girl named Francesca Niña. The sisters were sickly and the medications were too expensive that Avenido believed was the reason why they fell into poverty and had to live with their relatives.

Avenido’s childhood was rough, she described it as living with close to nothingness. They lived with her mother’s older sister for 1 year, they had no electricity and the adults made it more difficult with having no stable source of income. Also during those difficult times, the youngest child in the family was born, a boy named James Emman. At the age of 6, the family moved in their father’s property which made Avenido wonder why they had to live in struggle with their relatives when they had a house 4 times bigger.

Avenido had a funny rivalry with her best friend Micah. When Avenido had a cute bag, Micah had the exact same bag immediately a few days later, and when Avenido’s mother bought her a set of glitter pens, Micah also had the same. Even their umbrellas and shoes were the same. Their rivalry continued when Avenido learned the word ‘crush’ for the first time, it was Micah who asked who her crush was. There was a boy named Daniel seated just behind their seats, thankfully Micah doesn’t like Daniel, but it was Daniel who liked Micah. The same thing happened in their 3rd and 4th grade. It was a boy named Anton, Avenido never told Micah that they liked the same boy even though Avenido was the first to like him, she took a step back because they liked each other. It didn’t last because Micah moved to another school in 5th grade and even thought Avenido and Anton were classmates until 6th grade, Avenido had already found a new crush and thought of Anton as a friend.

Her adolescent years was even difficult, half of it was because of their financial status as her father have given up sustaining the family and the other half was due to her parents’ relationship completely falling apart. Avenido’s mother had to work, she went through a lot from washing empty bottles to being a security guard just to feed the whole family. Avenido had a long-time grudge towards her father as he was not just a drunkard but also a very jealous husband. Their fights grew bigger and more hurtful words were uttered, the siblings couldn’t do anything but listen. Whenever their parents fight, the siblings would either cry in their room or would seek comfort in their grandparents’ home.

Avenido was 16 when she understood her father’s jealousy, she caught her beloved mother exchanging unnatural text messages with a man. That was, if not, made her see the unseen and felt heartbroken. She felt betrayed and hopeless and was angry to everyone. Despite having so much hate, she couldn’t and wouldn’t live her life without her mother.

The bad blood between her mother eventually ended, they were also financially stable with only her mother striving. With difficulties, she finished her degree in Psychology and passed the board exam the year after. Years after she worked as a Psychometrician, she pursued her almost-forgotten profession – Fashion design. With her booming career, Avenido found a potential man whom she would spend her life with. But she thought wrong, her relationship with her long-time friend did not end up to what she was expecting. Rather than regretting the choices she has made, she moved on and continued to figure out how she would live her life. She is now 38 years old, passed the age she imagined getting married. Now, Avenido plans to work hard and let her life unfold itself, she would just go with the flow and wouldn’t bother finding love for herself. For now, caring for her aged parents is her top priority.

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LATE ADULTHOOD

               Dementia is usually responsible for mental problems seen in the elderly. Nevertheless, these diseases occur in only around 15% of people over 65 years of age. In the United States, the leading cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, a progressive, inevitably fatal disease that starts with confusion and memory lapses and ends with the loss of self-care capacity. During the stage of integrity and despair, people are reflecting back on the life they have experienced and either come away with a sense of fulfillment from a well-lived life or a sense of regret and frustration over an existence that has been wasted.

               Someone in my class asked me, “Who do you prefer to die first, you or your husband?” I said, I would like to die first. I hate the idea that I will be left alone, maybe not completely alone but I hate that someone left a whole in my heart and I don’t know if I can cope up. But, someone answered that question and said, “I would let my husband go first, by that time I already have my grandchildren and they will become the center of my life and not him, so maybe I can stay for a little while and spend time with them.” I will remember this for the rest of my life. She’s right, my future grandchildren can become my lifeline for quite some time after my husband’s death (If ever I get married and have kids, of course).

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MIDDLE ADULTHOOD

The aging process becomes more evident in middle adulthood. The eyes lose their ability to move at different distances to points, known as presbyopia. With vision deficits, most people between the ages of 40 and 60 may require some form of corrective lenses. For certain eye problems, such as glaucoma, middle-aged people are also at higher risk than younger adults. Women experience a gradual decline in fertility as they approach the onset of menopause. This process involves hormonal changes and can last from six months to five years. Due to shifting hormone levels, menopausal women also experience a variety of other symptoms, such as depression, poor memory, lack of concentration, depressive mood, irritability, mood swings, and less interest in sexual activity.

It is at this point in life that some people may experience what is often called a "midlife crisis." People will reflect back on their successes and question their future prospects and feel sorry. In some cases, this may include regretting missed opportunities like going to school, pursuing a career, or having kids. If I reach this stage, maybe I will regret not flirting when I was young.

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EARLY ADULTHOOD

Our physical maturation is complete by the time we reach early adulthood, although our height and weight can increase slightly. The physical abilities, including muscle strength, reaction time, sensory capacity, and cardiovascular functions, are at their peak in early adulthood. Around the age of 30, many changes in various parts of the body begin to occur. The aging process during early adulthood and is characterized by changes in skin, vision, and reproductive capability. Each person experiences age-related changes depending on many factors: biological factors such as molecular and cellular changes are called primary aging, while ageing is called secondary aging due to controllable factors such as lack of physical activity and poor diet.

Erikson believed that maintaining strong, committed relationships with other people was important to individuals. Such emotionally intimate relationships play a critical role in the stage of intimacy and isolation as people enter adulthood. These relationships are often romantic in nature, but Erikson also believed it was important to have close friendships. Seeing how I care less in my romantic relationship makes me anxious. Although I’m still young and years are still ahead of me, I’m starting to think if love will really come to me. I am the type who only waits, I don’t chase or make a move to improve this part in my life because I believe love will come when it’s time. There’s no need to rush but I feel like I need to. I have this situation where I don’t make efforts to be noticed and there is this friend who does everything to be noticed. Maybe someday I’ll be like that friend and let myself get exposed into this mess, but right now, I will let him pass or maybe let her have him.

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ADOLESCENTS

This is a time of many developments in physical, psychological, emotional and social life. Hormones change with the start of puberty. Most boys grow pubic and facial hair and their voices deepen. Most girls grow and begin puberty phase with pubic hair and breasts, and start their period. They might be worried about these changes and how others look at them. This will also be a time when teens may face peer pressure to use alcohol, tobacco products, and drugs, and to have sex. Eating disorders, anxiety, and family problems can be a teenager’s obstacles. Teens make more of their own choices about friends, sport, and education at this age. With their own personality and desires, they become more autonomous, while parents are still very important.

           I had my period during summer and that was the very day when I was born. I wanted to keep it a secret and I thought it is embarrassing to let them know of my first period. I spent my birthday anxiously, I don’t even know how to use sanitary napkins so I use lots of unused clothes and I really thought that it will keep the blood from leaking. It didn’t, obviously. I was so embarrassed and my far away relatives even called to confirm my period. I am the oldest girl in my father’s side and my aunts was all about congratulating me for being a ‘dalaga’. They wanted me to wash my face with my menstrual blood but I was greatly disgusted with the idea so I refused for so many times and lied about doing it just so they could stop bugging me.

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MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

               Skeletal and muscular maturation occurs for both sexes and excel at different activities. Girls are ahead of boys in this stage, they have already reached 94% of their adult height while boys have only reached 84%. Girls also have slightly more body fats than boys, they are better at coordination but somewhat weaker than boys. 6-12-year olds are prone to Traumatic brain injury (TBI), asthma, and excessive weight gain. In terms of vocabulary, they have already mastered grammar and pronunciation but still a long way before reaching adult levels of fluency. Children ages 9-11 start forming stronger friendship and peer relationships that are more complex. Making friends, especially of the same sex, becomes more emotionally significant.

               When I was at this age, I was a lot taller than almost all of my male classmates and I tend to insult them because of their heights. Together with my best friend, we would both taunt our male classmates with their short heights and when I think about it now, it looks like I got what I deserved for teasing them. They are now taller than I am, the situation was reversed. I believed that it was my karma but now I understand that it’s because of my genetic inheritance. Making friends was not easy for me even before, I only had one friend and she’s our neighbor. I would stop by at their house everyday just so we can go together to school. When we had our fights, our mothers would know because none of us will go to each other’s house to play. We would eventually reconcile and we would both cry and blame each other for fighting.

[ejavenido]

EARLY CHILDHOOD

In this stage, children’s eating patterns grow more slowly, they eat less than when they were babies. Children in this stage develop certain attachment to their parents or caregivers. Parents, on the other hand, have their way of responding to different situations. These differences are Parenting styles. Although many children are well loved, many also suffers from abuse in which children develop PTSD or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Stable friendships develop between children in this stage.

               How we treat a child is important, and I meant how we talk to them and how we respond to their actions. Some parents are understanding enough to discipline a child without verbal or physical abuse. I asked my mother how I was during this age, turns out I am exactly what I am now and before. My mother doesn’t let me get dirty and whenever we go out, she would cover me up from my hands to toes. My hate towards dirt can be traced back when I was young, I also don’t like my niece getting dirty but my cousin, my niece’s mother would let her get dirty and I would not hold her if she’s not yet clean. I also don’t prefer going out and my mother said I only play inside the house and that I prefer it than playing outside. Few of my friends doesn’t like the idea of letting the child inside the house for the whole day, well I like it.

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INFANCY

In infancy, baby girls are advanced in using their hands which was called Fine Motor Skills. Boys, on the other hand, tend to be more active such as crawling compared to baby girls, this skill is what we call Gross Motor Skills. Babies are delicate and need to have appropriate nutrition, breastfeeding is said to be superior than any other milk formulas because it stimulates better immune system function and therefore, decreases the chances of having diarrhea, gastroenteritis, bronchitis, ear infection, and colic. Infants are able to make remarkably fine discrimination among sounds, sights, and feelings. They also hear nearly as well as adults do, their auditory acuity is actually better than their visual acuity. They also develop personality, temperament, and self-concept in this stage.

               Infants don’t just cry because they want to, it sends a signal that maybe they are uncomfortable, something is upsetting them, and most commonly they are just hungry. Crying is not a bad thing for them because it’s their way of communicating, of catching your attention to express their needs. But, crying for totally 3 or more hours a day for no apparent reason, the baby may have developed Colic.

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PRENATAL

Mentally unstable soon-to-be mothers may affect the fetus’ development because the fetus is already responding to stimuli and appears to be learning inside the womb. So, technically, if a mother does something harmful, the baby will be greatly affected because she/he is exposed to everything a mother experiences, the unborn child is linked to the mother’s physical and emotional condition. Also, if a mother has poor nutrition, her fetus will be at greater risk of stillbirth or death. Conceiving at very early or late will also increase the risks of complications not just for the baby but also for the mother. Pregnant women should also be extra careful in taking medicines because some are containing harmful substances that causes abnormalities to the fetus and even miscarriage. If a mother or the couple has history of psychological illnesses, she should think twice before conceiving a child. Get treated and decide later if she is fit to raise a child and let the child have the same illness.

               People would say, “Life begins at 40”, but we say, “Life begins at fertilization.” There is a huge percentage of abortion going around the globe, imagine if those unborn children have lived their lives as they should have. Would the world be a better place having them, or is it mercy that they didn’t see how cruel the world can be? Neither. We are not the ones to judge that for them, it is for them to find out. Unfortunately, many didn’t have the courage to raise a child after they had decided to have sexual intercourse. Babies are adorable little beings, how can some people not give them a chance to live? We should all feel blessed, many were granted lives but only few were able to live. Before, I always thought that I was born lucky, turns out, I was lucky enough to be born.