Reflection Blog Post #8

Reflection #8:

• Discuss the parent characteristics, child characteristics, contextual factors, and socio-cultural characteristics that you think may have influenced your parents parenting, or, if you are a parent, discuss which ones currently influence you and how you currently parent your children (pp. 84-87).

For me, the characteristics I inherited from my parents are definitely a mix of their personalities,  I can be a little scatter-brained like my mom sometimes but then sometimes I can be super motivated and dedicated like my dad.  Both of my parents are pretty outgoing and I am too, but it wasn't always that way.  Sometimes, if I feel insecure in a setting, I will be really shy and not talk.  I think when I am difficult to deal with, my mom especially will feel like she failed me.  I didn't know much about housework before I got married and my mom blames herself for that for not teaching me.  This happens when my husband complains about my lack of housekeeping skills.  I have noticed when my husband and I are struggling financially, our kids are very tuned into that.  Everyone in the house is just on edge and cranky all the time.  Our neighbors influence my parenting.

• Then share three ideas that you learned that will support you in working with families within your classroom setting.

I will keep my classroom positive even when children and parents can be difficult to deal with.  I can be a warm, welcoming place for my students and families.  I can set goals and use positive reinforcement when things go a little sideways then we can get back on track.

Reflection Blog #7 Chapter 5

Reflection #7:

• What counts as family to you? Are there people in your life you consider family who are not necessarily related to you in the traditional sense?

Family to me is anyone who knows all about me and never judges me.  They love me even despite my mistakes I've mad.  There are some really close friends that I consider family.  Sometimes close friends are there for you when your blood family isn't.  It's the family that you choose for yourself.  Being a military family, we never live close to home so wherever we go, we have to make our own family.  People we can depend on and not fake.

• What do you think are the most important functions or roles of the family and why do you think this?

I think the most important functions and roles of a family are people that stick together through good times and bad.  It sounds cheesy but you have to have those kind of relationships in life or it will be really depressing when things don't go so well.  Let's face it, bad things are bound to happen which is why you need family beside you to cheer you on and be a shoulder to cry on too.

• As we've learned from Bronfenbrenner, families are parts of communities and as such, families are influenced by the surrounding community. How do families affect communities if at all?

I think families can have an affect on the community.  For example, living on base with all the other families gives us a real sense of community.  Especially living out here in Twentynine Palms which can be very lonely.  Most of the families I have come across are so welcoming and loving which makes the community such a positive one.

Reflection Blog #6

Reflection #6:

• As a child, what toys did you play with? Were these toy selections at all influenced by your parents, the media, or friends? Why or why not?

I mostly played with barbies, dolls or spent time outside playing in the dirt outside.  I think they were influenced by my parents a little bit because they just had girls.  My older sister and I are close in age so we just shared toys and she had more dolls than I did.  When I lived in Arkansas, I would always be playing outside with my friend that lived down the street.

• What challenges might LGBT families face? What role might early childhood educators and their programs play in supporting these families?

I think that LGBT families will face the challenge of not fitting the mold of a traditional family.  What I mean by that is the chidden don't have both a mom and a dad.  They have two of one or the other.  Their classmates might ask questions or think it's strange to have two moms or two dads.  It can be rather confusing to the children who don't understand.  As an early childhood educator, a challenge that I have might be the way I word things.  For example, instead of saying "draw a picture of your mom and dad", I would have to say "draw a picture for me of what your family looks like."  Instead of having programs or days like "Muffins with Mom" or "Donuts with Dad", we could come up with something more creative like "Pie with the Parents" or something like that so it's all-inclusive and no one feels awkward about it.

Reflection Blog #4

Reflection #4:

• What is the cultural norm in your family regarding whom you live with and when, or even if, you are expected to establish your own home?  

One major cultural norm is that we have both parents, happily married and staying in the same room, with children who are all living together in the same house.  To me, this is a cultural norm.  I grew up this way and wanted nothing else for when I started my own family.  It seems to be working out so far from what I came from so that's good.

• What is a value you have? What social rewards have you received for upholding that value?

I have a lot of values but one that I chose to focus on for this blog is that I strive for perfect attendance in whatever activities or school I am involved in.  Even when I don't feel like going to something I am usually almost always there.  For some reason, it's been a very important value my whole life.  One social reward I have received from this is when we were stationed in Virginia, we were on a bowling league for two years.  One of the years, I received the Perfect Attendance award and I was very proud of it.  My middle son received a good attendance award at the end of his Transitional Kindergarten(TK) year which made me very proud also.

Reflection Blog #5

Reflection #5:

• What is the difference between folkways and mores?

Folkways are norms without any moral meaning, or just the way a culture is without any moral reasoning behind it.  Mores are norms based from moral views from a group.

• How does language influence cultural norms? 

The way we speak and our specific lingo influences the norms from our culture.  For example, in the Midwest we say pop.  In the Deep South they say Coke for a caffeinated beverage.  Everywhere else seems to say soda.  Those are just norms in those cultures.

• What are some strong attitudes you hold and how are they represented in your life through their affective, cognitive, and behavioral components? (see p. 42 in textbook for an example of how to answer this question)

I don't like chocolate or coffee.  A lot of people think I am strange for feeling that way.  It's a taste thing because they make my stomach upset.  In terms of affect it would be "I don't like those things."  In terms of behavior, it would be "I don't eat chocolate or drink coffee."  For cognitions, it would be "chocolate and coffee make my stomach upset."