Child Development

During a child’s early development they learn more quickly than any other time in their life. They are eager to learn and are easily influenced throughout their childhood. These influences are categorized in three different groups. They are social, economic, and cultural influences. These different influences can affects a child’s development both negatively and positively.
Social influence is very important for all ages, but it changes and forms over the course of childhood. Social influence comes in many shapes and sizes, but there are some majors influences that affect a child more dramatically. One of the main positive social influences is family. Family is especially important because they are the people that a child spends most of their early childhood with. They have a direct and indirect influences on the challenges that children encounter and have the resources they need to accomplish those certain challenges. Within the family children learn social skills and attach to people who love and care for them.
Children who have parents that spend time with them are able to reach out and relate to others. There is a theory called the Attachment Theory which explain that the emergence of an emotional bond between an infant and their parent or caregiver and the way in which this bond affects the child's behavioral and emotional development into adulthood. According to this theory, children who have a secure bond with their parent use this attachment to develop social relationships. Because children are with their parents most of their childhood, children look up to their parents when it comes to developing social skills.
Another positive social influence is school. During school, children start to develop individuality while learning to become part of a group made up of their own peers. School strengthens a child’s self-concept and feelings of individuality. School allows them to meet children their own age, and allows them to be comfortable around people they have not grown up with. They learn to corporate, share, and work together with their classmates to get things done. School puts children in a positive group that let’s them be themselves, and allows them to learn the necessary skills to live in society.
Parenting is usually a positive influence, it is possible for it to be negative. Some parents can be too protective of their kids, which doesn’t allow them to develop and to become their own individual. As a child grows up this is very vital because they are trying to figure out who the are and what they want to be. Parenting decisions affect how children turn out physically, socially, and emotionally, but parents shouldn’t be obsessed with making the perfect child. Parents shouldn’t try to control their kids lives, but be a role model for them to look up to. Parents should be encouraging and let them grow up to discover who they are.
Although things like school and family are positive social influences, there are negative influences. An example of negative influence is media. This can be positive, but children are likely to be exposed to bad language, violence, or sexual content on television. Research has suggested that violent television shows or video games contributes to aggressive behavior and foul language. Children may become less sensitive about the suffering of others, fearful of society around them, or be aggressive or harmful towards others. It is very important for parents to watch what their children are watching or what video games they are playing so they fit into society and not a harm to themselves or others.
The next influence is economic influences. One of the main economic issues is poverty. Poverty is a struggle in many families, and it can be hard for people to admit they’re in poverty. In the United States more than 50 million Americans live below the poverty line. It might not necessarily look like people are in poverty, but being in poverty doesn’t mean skin and bones. It can mean not parents don’t make enough money or children aren’t getting the attention and love they need. Poverty may seem like it affects adults more than their children, but that’s not always the case.
A child’s brain is very vulnerable in their early stages of life because they are just starting to be capable of learning new things. If they do not get the necessary materials to learn they have a greater chance to have a lower IQ than children who don’t grow up in poverty. Resulting in poor academic scores as they get older. Children living in poverty can also make them less accepted by their peers. Which then brings their self-esteem down and makes going to school not a good experience. Teachers and staff should pay close attention to children how might be living in poverty. There are many things they can do to help bring down a child’s stress level and to help them start acting like a kid.
Poverty comes in all shapes and forms. It does not necessarily mean you see a poverty person’s skin and bones. It can also mean that they aren’t getting the love and affection they need. Children who experience this type of poverty are more likely to have behavioral problems and issues with fitting into their age group. They may not seem like they need help, but they might just need some attention and praise. It is important to try to help them the best way you can without singling them out.
Some easy things to do to help a child who is living in poverty is keep some extra food around. They might not be getting the right amount of nutrients they need to help them grow and develop. Also keeping water bottles for them to take home to make sure they are staying hydrated throughout year. Teachers and staff, if they have kids of their own, can donate old clothes and shoes so children in poverty are cleaner and their peers can accept them better. They can also do simple things like giving them praise and attention because they might not be getting that at home. One major way to help is for teachers to simply talk to the parents. It may be difficult for them to talk about their struggles, but you can make suggestions to make their living style a little easier. There is ways to help out if your financial situation isn’t the greatest. Some examples of some places that help out families in need are the Salvation Army, who provide families with things such as food and shelter. Every state has their own Social Security programs that offer unlimited amounts of programs to support families. It is important to not accuse the parents living in poverty of not raising their kids in the proper way. Let them know there are people out there that are willing to help them. The opposite of poverty would be wealthy or even middle class. This is most likely a positive economic influence while a child is developing. Parents are not stressed out about money, which causes the child to not be stressed either. They can be more focused on how their child is growing up and help them grow up to be a self-motivated person. Parents are also able to afford the basic necessities required for a child’s basic needs. Children are more capable of being accepted by their peers, and can be more academically successful in school. The next influence is cultural influence. Cultural influence is an important role in a child’s development because it varies from culture to culture. It also has positive and negative affects on how a child grows up. Some cultures have a very strong belief that a child should grow up in activities that involve academics. Families that push their kids to be academically successful don’t allow their kids to develop their own self-motivation. Pushing children to be academically successful can leave them stressed and possibly on the brink of getting clinically depressed. Cultures that push their children to be what they want them to be often times leaves children overwhelmed and pressured. Not allowing children to play denies them to pursue their interests or express their personality. Play time is very important for a young child’s development because it helps them find a sense of wonder and curiosity. If they are too busy doing extra activities or homework, they don’t have time to be kids. Play time is very important with peers, and if children don’t know how to to do anything besides school work, their peers might not accept them. Most strict cultures have good intentions because they want their children to be successful and happy later in life. Even though they have good intentions, though, it is important to remember that they’re still children and they need to be children once in awhile. Children need time to read, write, think, dream, draw, build, create, fantasize and explore special interests. Such activities help clarify who they are and what they are truly interested in. It’ll be easier for them to fit into society, as they get older, and still following their beliefs. Culture influence during a child’s development is also a positive influence. It can include the child learning values and beliefs expressed in daily interaction of different individuals within a group and with a definite pattern of language, behavior, customs, attitudes and practices. Going to things such as church allows, a child to be part of a group of people that believe in the same things as they are taught to believe in. A child’s connection to their culture develops through their experiences, whether they are good or bad. They are mostly made up of warm and secure emotional connections with the adults who care for them and help them connect with their cultural identity. Having a strong sense of their own cultural history and the traditions associated with it helps children build a positive cultural identity for themselves. It helps them to connect with people they wouldn’t talk to otherwise. This also supports children’s sense of belonging, their mental health, and their wellbeing. As a child is developing, their brain’s are easily influenced and vulnerable. They are influenced socially, economically, and culturally. Throughout their childhood each one of these influences can affect them negatively and positively. It is up to the adults they look up to, to help them find the right paths to help them succeed in developing a safe and effective way.

https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/human-development-14/infancy-and-childhood-72/cultural-and-societal-influences-on-child-development-281-12816/ https://www.marxists.org/archive/fromm/works/1958/social.htm http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/August_2012_CPI.pdf
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/10/28/early-childhood-poverty-damages-brain-development-study-finds