Chapter 1Development Development refers to changefocus on major change in child’s life that are consequential Development progressesThe term "development" refers to changes that we see in children over relatively long periods of time that have significant impact on their lives. Understanding and anticipating developmental changes in children's lives can be most useful to parents and professionals who deal with children on a daily basis.Each and every child's development is filled with windows of opportunity for enhanced development.BEGINS AT CONCEPTIONDevelopmentalists researchers and practitioners who study the development processDevelopmental change Developmental change refers to the gradual accumulation and integration of relatively permanent, age related changes in biologicaland psychological systems through transactions with the environmentGradual: over relatively long periods of timeOver weeks monthsDevelopmental change needs to be observable Accumulation/ integrationBits and pieces accumulated together and when they integrate you see the changeCumulative Development is cumulativeDevelopmental changes build upon one another. A child's features atone point in time combine with new additions to form more complex featuresRelatively irreversible Virtually every change is a potentially important advance in some skill or ability, even if the final form of the ability remains unclearMore serious reversals in development are referred to as regression.Regressive behaviors may be brought on by illness, injury, deprivation, abuse, or severe traumaTransactional Simple cause-and-effect explanations do not capture the complexity of children's interactions with the people around them. In practical terms, every action you direct toward your child has some importantreaction in the child.Over time, the sequence of transactions between your child and his or her social and physical environments form a unique pathway through development.Takes place in an ecosystemEcology is the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environments.The ecology of human development refers to the study of thetransactions between an active growing human being and the settings in which the developing person lives.Supine Baby is on back (for sleep)Prone Baby is on stomach (pushing development)Regression Development can regress: turn and go backwardsShould not happenOpportunity influences from the environment that have a positive facilitating effect on developmentsupports development and promotes the realization of that potential.Risk external negative, undermining influences on developmentRisk threatens to undermine development and sacrifice the child's potentialVulnerability Internal factorInside the child; genetic/biological base to it; lurks inside the child waiting to have a negative effect on the childThe tendency to fall prey to riskResilience Internal factorCan be part of or physical or emotional makeup that gives us strength when bad things happen to usWhen we are challenged enormously, we show great strengththe tendency to overcome risk Microsystem In the microsystem, children interact with family, peers, and servicessuch as day cared and school. The family system is typically the dominant force in the microsystem.Mesosystem The mesosystem describes relationships among elements of the microsystem. The relationship between the family and the day care center is an important exampleExosystem The exosystem identifies social supports available to the family in the community. For instance while some employers offer day care services and flextime to employees, other employers show no concern for the family's ability to provide care for its children during working hours.Macrosystem deals with the cultural context of development--societal values reflected in social policies toward childrenHow should we handle development in our children?Knowing that development is gradual suggests that we must take our time and be patient.Knowing that it is cumulative and irreversible suggests that every experience is important.Knowing that development is transactional suggests that developmental change does not result from doing something to a child or simply by sitting back and passively observing. We canpromote favorable developmental outcomes only by entering into transactions with our children --encouraging change as we experience change in ourselves. Those who seek to promote children's optimal development must be prepared to grow with
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