Week 5 Blog Assignment

My Early Childhood Course Resources are located in the top bar tabs

Week 4 Blog Assignment

"When authority figures behave in ways that aren’t familiar to children, the children can feel confused. Some children are used to firm, strict, and sometimes physical guidance and without it they keep testing the limits." Janet Gonzales-Mena

http://www.pakeys.org/docs/DIdoc6.pdf

Parents don't make mistakes because they don't care, but because they care so deeply. - T. Berry Brazelton

Two quotes about passion, motivation and wisdom from the week 2 segment:

"I had a built in passion that it was important to make a real contribution in the world and to fix all the injustices in the world, and I wanted to do that through teaching." - Louise Derman-Sparks


"working intently with children and families was almost like getting a doctorate, because every year there was always a specific challenge that I was in charge of and I hat to meet it, i had to meet it for me, in terms of what I was modeling for my staff, and what they would be taking away and incorporate into their own personal repertoire and because of the families." - Renatta M. Cooper

Week 3 Blog Assignment

Personal Childhood Web


this web is permanently located to the right of my blog, but additionally, i'll post it here as well.


Mom and Dad

The first people to influence me as a child were my parents. Their love and quirky sense of humor helped shape who I am today. They supported good moral values, and gave me a supportive network of adults I became close to in my childhood. I will always be my daddies little girl, and my moms best friend.

Bob and Howie

Family friends Bob and Howie have always been considered uncles, since they have been around since the day I was born. They have always listened to what I had to say, big or small. They remember my birthday, and as I got old, always called to say hello to me personally and see what was up.

My grandparents passed away when I was younger than 7, but I will always remember them. I used to have sleepovers, and my grandfather would do magic tricks, he was a magician for fun. When staying up late, he would often hypnotize me with his gold pocket watch so that I could go to sleep! I remember not being allowed to go to their funeral because I was too young, a decision I had no part in yet respected, although I still feel like I should have been there. My grandparents always had dried pineapple and apricots in their crystal candy dishes, the pineapple is still my favorite treat. I remember the silly colored bathrooms, metallic wall paper, and black and white tv.

I went to a home daycare with my brother before attending kindergarten. Dottie had a bunch of her own children who were often helping with taking care of us. Some of them were in high school and were not always the best influences, but she made sure to shoo them away when they were being inappropriate. I remember there was turmoil occasionally with her second husband, but nothing specific about it. I remember one boy who attended, who told me that thunder was his daddy bowling in heaven. I remember her big purple minivan.

My brother Jon is 4 years younger than me. When he was born I was excited! The doctor came to us and told us he was blue, and being young and naive, I asked why he wasn't going to be white like us! My family explained that he was bluish in tone because of a lack of oxygen, but that he would be ok, and not blue. I enjoyedcaring for him, but probably stole his bottle a time or two. We have never been super close, but have always had an influence on each other and how we saw our lives.

How far books have come

Although completely inappropriate to actually read to a child, you can identify with this if you have/ work with young children!! It is a REAL buy-able book! I find people buy it for baby showers for young mothers. you can also look up other youtube videos of people reading the story and their reactions.

 I hope I do not offend anyone with this video, if you do not like the F* word, it is used many times, and you should probably not listen to it. Click at your own risk!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CseO1XRYs9I

Week 2 Blog Assignment

A picture of my younger brother and I. I was 4 or 5 here.

I love this quote, because it makes you think about all the silly little things they say, and appreciate how they feel about it. I saw one blog about how a mother used to write down some silly things their child said, and made a scrap book out of it over the years. 

The scrap booking link had taken me to here: 

15 Cringeworthy Things Little Kids Say in Public

Goodnight iPad is currently one of my favorite children's book. Although some people dislike that it is a parody of the classic book Goodnight Moon, I enjoy how it gives an updated view of how our lives are currently. Children at young ages are very familiar with touch phones, computers, video games, and other electronics, so it makes sense for them to now say 'goodnight' to these things, which provide much more distraction than the cow jumping over the moon.

A story that touches my heart is about my co-workers son. Now at age 3, he has had a successful heart transplant for a year. He had a heart condition at birth, and my coworker was told he would not live this long. At his birth, she was a young mom of 19, in a new marriage, she was strong and kept fighting for her child to get the best care, and to find the most up to date and supportive resources. Divorcing soon after his first birthday, she was a mom alone, fighting to keep her baby healthy. Boston's children's hospital played a crucial part on his life. His mother is grateful to the little angel who had to pass in order for her son to get a heart, and he is growing, happy, and at most times healthy. The strength of this single mother, in addition to her son's fight for his life and continued happiness as an innocent child, warms my heart.

 A quote from his mother: "Thank you to our special family that a year ago lost their child and gave my child another chance at life. You are forever in our thoughts, prayers, and hearts, especially on a day like today. ♥ Words can never express my gratitude for Phoenix being able to do everything he does!"

This is a picture that the boy above, Phoenix, helped design and color. It is a representation of his recycled heart, and his hope for those in need.  I choose it because it shows how much this little boy has grown and his understanding of his situation.