Transition to Parenthood

This blog will describe the Transition parents to be go through before becoming parents  

[transition-to-parenthood]

Don’t be so hard on yourself Parents! It’s natural

aParenting is hard, but parenting teenagers is even harder. According to Huffington post on 10 tips improving parent- teen relationships, it is important as the parent to “Know their world Today’s kids face immense pressure to fit in — both online and offline. Kids feel a lot of difficulty (and shame) in discussing their challenges. For example, a victim of bullying may believe it’s his fault and never come out with it. Cyber bullying makes it more complicated because it is much more visible and shaming. Parents would do well to understand the implications of their children’s online identities and refrain from making embarrassing comments or posting pictures” (Fox, 2015). Knowing your child’s world and how much is changing for them both physically and emotionally is key to adjusting and being a parent of a teenager. Another point for parenting teens is to recognize their efforts.. In my eyes at this age where they are facing puberty, teens are simultaneously experiencing an identity crisis. So this time is the time not to be “tempted to judge their efforts based on results, but psychologists confirm that observing the child and appreciating the efforts is the best way to develop a sense of mutual respect and great work ethic in the child.” (Fox, 2015). With this in mind one of the downfalls as parents during the teenage years to occur is tending to get more controlling out of fear that your teen is intentionally disrespecting you as the parent (Braff, 2017). The way to over such tendencies according to “Biggest mistakes parents make” is to reinforce the importance of communication, by encouraging and showing your teen that they can find a safe haven in you, a judge free zone. The way to do that is by acknowledging where they are and as the parent not thinking you failed just because your teen is coming into their own. Below I have attached a video better illustrating this very transition into adolescents coming from a youth by the name of Henry Silverman. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz2mbz_plxg

References

Fox, A. (2015, February 24). 10 Tips for Improving Parent-Teen Relationships. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/annie-fox/10-tips-for-improving-parent-teen-relationships_b_6737916.html

Braff, D. (2017, April 10). Biggest mistakes parents make with their teens. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/parenting/sc-biggest-parent-mistakes-family-0404-20170330-story.html

[transition-to-parenthood]

Tips for Having a Healthy Baby

1.     Healthy baby requires a healthy you

2.     Teaching the baby starts with you

a.     Babies explore the world around them, so be the canvas for exploration that babies need to learn their place in the world.

3.     Self- awareness develops over time for both baby and parents.

a.      Self-awareness is knowing your emotions, strengths and challenges, and how your emotions affect your behavior and decisions.

b.     Social and emotional development counts and begins when we understand that balance and healthy social and emotional development begins with communication even as infants

          i.     Research shows that those with higher social-emotional skills have better attention skills and fewer learning problems, and are generally more successful in academic and workplace settings. (http://www.parenttoolkit.com/topics/social-and-emotional)

4.     Enjoy each moment

a.     Rid of expectations and allow the baby to show you what is new

 Mothers and fathers, you are the reason for existence of new life. You were fruitful and multiplied. Big ups to you, not everyone has the opportunity to be used as the instrument to birth life, yet alone care and nurture for it until it is old enough to care for itself.

Fathers, see this as growth vs. crisis..

 Curtis, J. A., Blume, L. B., & Blume, T. W. (1998, January 01). Becoming a Father: Marital Perceptions and Behaviors of Fathers during Pregnancy. Retrieved February 06, 2018, from http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mfr/4919087.0003.104?rgn=main%3Bview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBlDixgQk0I

[transition-to-parenthood]

What every new parent should know: Diana Eidelman at TEDxBGU

Drawing from her experience as a mother and a Family Counselor, Diana Eidelman shares her insights into challenging and often contradictory experiences that ...

Parenting… That moment when you wake up to learn that you are nowhere near close to being prepared for the journey that comes with becoming a parent.  Looking at a Ted Talk with Diana Eidelman—> what every parent should know, she outlines an acronym for first time parents called GIFT. GO, move around will feel happier, INHALE, and exhale; calm down so that baby will calm down, FEED your baby, feed yourself, TOUCH, Our hands teach babies who they are, We tell them who they are on a cellular level, Oxytoxin levels will rise. Our bodies are a nest in which our babies brains development, it is through our bodies that our babies learn.

[beautyandmagicofsoccer-blog]

This is sadly the wrap up. Being the first time that I have ever blogged, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Through my thoughts about topics helped me think through things with y’all. If I leave with anything, it is that you can’t count out things in your life for they are flashing by and its up to you...

[transition-to-parenthood]

"Be you, for there is no one that can beat you being you"

-Let your individual originality shine in this dark world

[transition-to-parenthood]

Last Offical English Blog- Conclusion

Transitioning from Elementary school to Middle school is a huge ordeal and requires a lot of preparation mentally, emotionally, and physically. Adolescents can expect that they will experience different challenges when they get to middle school, in regards to their physical appearance, trying to determine how they feel about themselves, and figuring out what kind of career they should pursue for the future. More often than not pre- pubescent children struggle with different pressures and expectations of others that it is hard to identify the goals, dreams and aspirations of ones-self. This is why elementary and middle schools should remain separate.

I personally enjoyed blogging about this topic and can not wait to see what the future holds concerning the mixture of grades k-eighth, and sixth-eighth. I believe that according to recent research done concerning this topic, there will be an up-rise of teachers, students, parents, government officials that will protest and intervene on behalf of adolescents who are going through this stage to debate whether or not middle schools and elementary schools should remain separate.

[transition-to-parenthood]

This is a video geared more so toward parents. It touches on the details and information needed to complete registration for secondary school. It speaks on the choice program for this specific district. 

This video is an effective and significant video because it has information on how to successfully transition the child from elementary to secondary. The cartoon like drawings are interesting and make the video more catchy and draws the viewers attention and focus. The music is uplifting and sounds like motivational and bold music which can inevitably make the viewer feel for confident and motivated to follow the directions given from video.

[transition-to-parenthood]

"Keep Moving Forward"

Never look back to your past unless you are deciding to reflect on how far you have come and are choosing to use your past experiences as reference points for your future.

[transition-to-parenthood]

It is funny how life goes around and is an ever ending cycle

This picture shows what I want to call "The First Day Gitters". Its that first day of school when you walk up towards the building and you look up saying "well geesh this is a huge building", than next thing you know the "big kids" walk out and it now seems as though you have shrunk and the world around you has enlarged instantly.   It is these first day gitters that leave elementary schoolers feeling intimidated, and scared not knowing what the rest of the day may bring.

I'm not sure if I am the only one that felt this way walking into a new school/classroom, but it definitely does lasts until you adjust and adapt to the new envoirnment, and then once you're in the group of big kids you see the younger kids as babies, not really realizing that you too were once that kid with the "first day gitters.."

[transition-to-parenthood]

1. Believe in Change 2. Promote Change 3. Be the Change one wishes to see

The life of a Change Agent

[transition-to-parenthood]

The struggle of college is real

Am I the only one that did not think college would be so hard?

Don't get me wrong the workload is doable, but having to meet deadline after deadline, and expectation after expectation can be a bit difficult. This transition from high school to college has been the most draining. Being in middle school and high school is nothing, and I do mean nothing compared to the challenges and work required for college.

My ultimate goals for the remainder of the semester is to pass and study like never before.

Middle schoolers and high schoolers enjoy your time in those levels because once you leave for school(college) its a totally different world. Do not get lazy or lose your focus, keep on pushing forward.

[transition-to-parenthood]

CNSNews.com was launched on June 16, 1998 as a news source for individuals, news organizations and broadcasters who put a higher premium on balance than spin and seek news that’s ignored or under-reported as a result of media bias by omission.

In this article it speaks about the return of middle schoolers who experienced a tragedy shooting of a teacher, and two- three other students. I personally am sadden about the situation, and I know that for twelve and thirteen year olds, it can be very difficult to feel safe in an environment that has been disrupted by violence. I agree with the parents interviewed, that the only way to deal with this situation is to allow the preteens to get back to a place of normalcy. The best way to do this is to just be available to talk to and there for, in case the child/youth wants to talk about the tragedy that took place in the school.

This article/mini interview is great for my topic because it allows me to see how adolescents are negatively affected by violence in the school and to see how they deal with tragedy and death. Having the evidence of how the kids reacted but also how the parents, and teachers are dealing with coping with the change in atmosphere and environment in the classroom.

I do believe that in time the school will reach a place of normalcy, and everyone in the school will be able to move beyond the point where they are now.

[transition-to-parenthood]

Book Review~ Voices from the Middle: Narrative Inquiry

Voices from the Middle: Narrative Inquiry by Kathleen F. Malu can be considered a how to book. It describes why the book is written and provides readers with reasons as to how the book relates to middle schools today.

The introduction to Voices from the Middle caught my attention and struck my interest because the author/editor started off with the history of how Middle schools were invented. I had no idea that Middle school also known as Junior High was implemented a little over a half a century ago and was made originally for 5-8th graders.

In later chapters readers have the opportunity to read about individuals who are essential to the Middle Level Education and their outlooks on the benefits and negative affects of having Middle school/Junior High.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gaining an understanding of how, and why Middle Schools were created and how they are changing over time. I plan on doing more research inside this book and learning more about how the concept of middle school has evolved over the past 50 years.

My research on this book thus far has opened up my eyes to see that there is indeed more to the concept of middle school other then the general statement of it being the in between place before high school. Middle school to me is similar to what we call a hospital. I equate middle school to a hospital because they both are places where individuals go to receive some form of education or help and counseling  for a specific matter. Teachers, audience counselors and psychologists are like the Dr.'s and physicians at a hospital because they research, and are in existence to create a healthy and stable atmosphere for the students/patients. My point is that just as we need hospitals in the medical field, we need middle schools in the education field.

[transition-to-parenthood]

"Don't be wise in your own eyes, but if you want wisdom seek for it."

Be you, No one beats being you, but you!

[transition-to-parenthood]

Middle School Journal by Association for Middle Level Education

Precis:

David C. Virtue's article "Engineering a Path away from Monkey see, Monkey do instruction", is an argumentative essay suggesting the need for connecting middle school curriculum to real life situations. David uses responses from local educators, and professional engineers to prove the necessity for educators to relate their lessons to real life situations in middle level schools.Virtue's stance on this issue is to inform and persuade. Because of the comprehensive information given in the article, one can infer that the intended audience is educators, and psychologists, who are interested in the development and physiological well being of middle level students.

I feel that Virtue makes a good point, that the standard in which teachers teach middle school children should shift. It is often stated that the best example is a real life example. Meaning in order to really reach these middle school students they need something in which they can relate it to. Having the ability to relate what one learns to realty inevitably allows one to retain what is taught, so I sincerely believe that all educators should take a look at how they teach,, and from that point determine a method and or strategy as to how they can engage real life situations to the classroom. If I were in the shoes of a teacher I would find ways to interact with the students in a personal but also appropriate way. I believe that if we want to see this change we must Believe, promote what we believe and lastly be the change we are wishing to see. We have to reverse the Monkey see Monkey do in teaching middle level students.

[transition-to-parenthood]

"If you do not like something, change it. And If you can't change it, change your attitude." ~Maya Angelou

When transitioning from a familiar place to an unfamiliar place, we sometimes have an expectation of how we feel people should act, and how we think people should be. It is best that as one transition from elementary to middle school that one worries about them self and not try to change others but learn to deal with and tolerate peers one come in contact with.

Stay focused on the reason why one is in school and live all dreams and goals through that attitude and mindset that "I can, will, and shall achieve as long as I believe.."

[transition-to-parenthood]

State Testing

A hot topic in the Delaware education system is state testing. When I was in Elementary going to middle school we had a state test labeled as the DSTP, which stood for the Delaware State Testing Program. It included a reading, writing, math, science and social studies section. Based on the results of the test determined whether or not students were ready to go to the next grade. By time I transitioned to high school I received word that the DSTP had been done with and that there would be a different testing system called the DECAS. The DECAS only lasted for about a two or three years before law officials got rid of that testing, and this year have switched to another form of state testing.

I personally do not mind having statewide test, but what I do mind is how often the testing system is being switched. I do not believe that state officials realize that constantly changing the form in which students are tested can negatively affect them academically for the future. I understand that DE is receiving money from the Federal Government to put into our schools, but I do not feel that the government should not have as much power and control over our education system like they do, they have other issues they should be concerned about and our education policy should not be one of them.

If it was up to me I would do studies and host seminars and classes for all educators and gather ideas for how we can implement a test that will be statewide, instead of having a hit and miss test taking time away from students learning in the classroom.

IN fact I would host an annual summer camp program that would have only educators as the counselors and mentors, and they would go through training and be observed with how they interact with the adolescents, and than we would all meet at least 4 times a year to be able to sit and evaluate the education system as a corporate body. I sincerely believe that where there is unity there is strength and if all educators came together to make decisions about the state testing issue than each school across the state would be more stable.