Saturday, February 1, 2014

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

I believe a large stress factor for children could be violence and war. Violence and war can cause serious mental illness issues and can lead to other consequences in the future for those children exposed. Children in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq consistently see violence and war and it has gotten to the point where these children are used to their environment. This is not healthy and it does not give high hopes to the child to believe that there are other areas that are not consumed by this lifestyle. An article posted on War Child stated, "Growing up in Afghanistan today means growing up surrounded by violence, poverty and exclusion. Entire generations have never seen peace. Thousands of children have been separated from their parents, abandoned in national orphanages or forced into labour," (War Child). 

 This type of lifestyle does not give children the emotional growth they need. Their biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial development has been compromised and they are forced to believe that they are supposed to be inducted into this lifestyle filled with violence and war. This representation of life should not be forced upon a child. 

 War Child. http://www.warchildholland.org/afghanistan

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 2, 2014 at 8:39 AM

    Hi Catherine. It is a shame that so many children have been brought up during the war area in the Middle East. I know that holds true for children in the USA whose parents and siblings are serving in the Armed Forces. Do you think children in the Middle East and those at home feel and develop identities that are similiar because both areas have children going through the same thing? I think they would because children are developing their identities and values at an early age and to be reared in a violent environment or have someone they know working in that environment would create attitudes and feelings that are the same.
    Kate

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  2. UnknownFebruary 2, 2014 at 7:42 PM

    Hi Catherine,
    My father fought in the Vietnam War, as a child I watched my pray constantly for his safe return home. As a child I didn't understand the meaning of War and often heard my older siblings asking my mother why daddy had to go to War? My mother would reply I don't know sweetie let's just pray for his safe return home. A few of my childhood friends father's who went off to War died; leaving them to wonder why and without hopes of the future.

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My Connections to Play

  • "Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning." By Fred Rogers
  • “The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do – such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening – are also the best for child development.” ~ Jerome Singer (professor, Yale University)
  • “As astronauts and space travelers children puzzle over the future; as dinosaurs and princesses they unearth the past. As weather reporters and restaurant workers they make sense of reality; as monsters and gremlins they make sense of the unreal.” ~ Gretchen Owocki (childhood educator)