Child Abuse

Childhood abuse is something that no one should have to go through, but it is something that far too many children see on a daily basis.  When growing up in Arizona I had one best friend, Monica.  We spent all of our time together, and my parents were not happy about that.  I did not understand why they did not want me to be friends with her, she was my age and just lived a couple houses down from my dad’s house.  I remember in the summer time we would do gymnastics in her living room to New Kids on the Block.  I never thought it weird that there was no furniture in the living room, I just saw it as a large cushioned area for my cartwheels.  It wasn’t until one day that I knew things were different at her house when everyone was gone.  It was an early morning, and her parents’ car was not in the driveway, so I went to her bedroom window and she let me in.  Well my brother had followed me, so he came through the widow too.  I do not remember what we were talking about, I just remember that we heard someone coming, and my brother and I hid in the closet.  Thankfully there was a hamper in there that hid us from her step dad that was walking into her room. He swung that door open and was yelling that he heard her talking to someone, she lied and told him that she was singing to herself.  He proceeded to check out her closet, and luckily he did not see us, but that didn’t stop him from dragging her out of her room anyway.  As soon as that man was out of sight, my brother ran through that screen window and bolted for home.  I never saw much of Monica after that, they never let her come outside, and they never answered the door.  Her family ended up moving later that summer to somewhere in California.  I received one letter from her, and all I remember is that she said that her new home smelled like ketchup.

Now I did not see the warning signs that my parents did, I probably saw more of them than they did, I just didn’t know it.  I hope someone along her life path was able to help her out of the situation that she was in.  The verbal and physical abuse that I saw was probably only the beginning.  When I lived out in California I thought of Monica all the time.  Anytime I would go to a different town, I would see if it had the faintest smell of ketchup. 

“There is no single known cause of child maltreatment. Nor is there any single description that captures all families in which children are victims of abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment occurs across socio-economic, religious, cultural, racial, and ethnic groups” (Ameyaw-Akumfi, 2013).  There are many factors as to why child abuse happens, the odds are slightly higher for a child if their parent was abused as a child.

Many authorities have to have proof of abuse before taking action because “there is a reluctance to inter- vene in what is still perceived in most societies as a ‘private’ sphere” (Versiani).  In Brazil low income families often send their children to live with a more stable educated person.  The family sets up the agreement that the child will go live with them and receive good education in return for doing household chores.  Most of the time children end up becoming slaves in factories.  "There are some 5,100,000 children between the ages of five and 17 who work -- around 500,000 are engaged in domestic labor, "it's a hidden form of slavery. Many of them don't go to authorities, and no one knows that they are working illegally and being badly treated in these houses” (Gallego, 2008).

This poor girl was forced to eat dog excrement, she was bound and her tongue was cut off in pieces.  My question is why?  What could a 14 year old girl do that was so bad to deserve this type of treatment? Nothing.  No one should have to live in these conditions, and it is reported that 5, 100,000 children could be in these types of conditions already.  Many people are afraid to report child abuse, because they do not see action being taken by the proper authorities.  How do we change the perception of the world that children should not have to live in fear of their families?

References

Ameyaw-Akumfi, N. (2013, May 30). Social Factors that may Increase the Child's Vulnerability to Abuse. Retrieved from SpyGhana: http://www.spyghana.com/social-factors-that-may-increase-the-childs-vulnerability-to-abuse/

Gallego, S. (2008, March 20). Story of Child Abuse Shocks Brazil. Retrieved from ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=4488867&page=1#.Uai3pN4o7IV

Godoy, C. E. (2010, June 4). Child Abuse Underreported in Latin America. Retrieved from Gallop World: http://www.gallup.com/poll/139376/Child-Abuse-Underreported-Latin-America.aspx

Versiani, C. (n.d.). Violence Against Children in the Home and Family. UNICEF, 44-107.

 

 

Immunization, To get a Shot or Not get a Shot, That is the Question!

     The topic that I chose was immunization.  I think immunization has become a more popular topic over the last couple of years, regarding the importance of getting your child immunized.  There has been a lot of talk about the controversy of getting children immunized.  “Some parents, however, choose not to vaccinate their children because they fear vaccines can cause conditions such as autism and asthma” (Adams, 2013).  There has been no proof that vaccines actually lead to autism or asthma.  Most of the speculations come from the fact that the measles, mumps and rubella shot coincides with the first symptoms of autism.

     The book defines immunization as priming “the body’s immune system to resist a specific contagious disease” (Berger, 2012).  Since having specific immunizations available to people in the United States, there have been a huge prevention rate of specific diseases.  “In 2010, in the United States, only 61 people had measles, most of them born in nations without widespread immunization” (Berger, 2012). 

   Brazil has noticed the need for immunizations in their country, and has taken action against diseases.  “Brazil has one of the best and most complex immunization programs in the world, offering vaccines against a range of diseases, free of charge” (Portal da saude, 2012). 

     More countries have taken a notice as to how vaccinations impact their survival rates.  Without some of these vaccines there would be a lot more unnecessary deaths that would have taken place.  This information has given me more definitive answers on where I stand with immunization.  There are some immunizations that I think are crucial for children to get, and there are others where I do not.  There are some things that are bodies are designed to fight, and for me it is okay to be smart about which ones are necessary and not.  

Adams, M. (2013, May 18). The Immunization Controversy: Should Your Child Be Immunized? Retrieved from Keck Medical Center of USC: http://www.keckmedicalcenterofusc.org/condition/document/75739

Berger, K. S. (2012). Th Developing Person Through Childhood. New York: Worth Publishers.

Portal da saude. (2012, October 31). Brazil maintains 95% vaccination coverage over the last 10 years. Retrieved from Brasil.gov: http://www.brasil.gov.br/news/history/2012/10/31/brazil-maintains-95-vaccination-coverage-over-the-last-10-years/newsitem_view?set_language=en

Birthing Experience

The births that I have taken apart in, well, I have been in the waiting room.  One of the births that I was a part of was my brother in law.  I remember how stressful it was!  It was not stressful for the fact that there were complications with the birth, or that anything was going wrong, it was the fact that his girlfriend and him were not seeing eye to eye.  My brother in laws boss was allowed in the delivery room along with my brother in law, and that was it.  This is where it got stressful.  The girl friend had her parents waiting in the waiting room with the rest of us.  It just did not make sense as to why her boss would be in the delivery room, rather than her mother, or her mother to be.  Here is the thing to know about my mother in law; she is a very sweet person, and always worries about how you are, and what she can do to help.  So having her in a waiting room, where she cannot ask questions, or offer support or help, really hurt her feelings. 

This was a very stressful birth.  When we were all able to go in and see the new baby, things were not said, but you could feel the tensions.  No child should have to come into this world feeling that anxiety. 

In Brazil more than half of the women delivery their babies by c-section, if you have private health care the number goes up to eighty two percent.  Women in Brazil have not been allowed to have supportive family members in the delivery room with them, and most have been told that c-section is the way to go.  Women in Brazil have started marches to make sure that the government hears their cries.  They want to be able to choose how and where their children are born, and they want to have the final say in decision making.  Most doctors recommend c-section, because it is predictable and easier for them to control their wages for the day.  With a natural birth a doctor may make the same wages as doing a c-section, but a natural birth can take hours, unlike the 30 minutes for the alternative. 

But there are complications with c-section, and more mothers are making themselves aware of them.  The Perinatal Clinic in Rio de Janeiro offers services to make women more comfortable when in labor.  Through their clinic you can schedule massages, manicures, and beauticians to help make the memories more warm and loving.  After your child is born, you can arrange for catering services for when the whole family comes by to check on mother and baby.

The changes that Brazil is seeking for women is huge, women are fighting for their rights to be able to deliver their child on their terms.  This is a big difference between the United States and Brazil.  C-sections are rises in both countries, but the United States has not gotten to the point where they are requiring it for everyone.  The after care services that were offered in Brazil, would have been a nice luxury for when my niece was born.  Maybe it would have helped soften some of the tension in the air.

Barbassa, J. (2012, August 11). The Huffington Post. Retrieved from Brazil's Women rebel Against C-Sections: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/11/brazils-women-rebel-again_n_1767972.html

Examining Codes of Ethics

NAEYC Code of Ethics

I. 1.3 - To recognize and respect the uniqueness and the potential of each child.

 I love how this code was stated, the uniqueness of the child.  This is a reminder that every child is special and unique in their own way, and that I need to encourage that. 

 

I. 1.4- To appreciate the special vulnerability of children.  

This reminds me to"go with the flow."  It is great to make lesson plans, but I need to remember that I need to follow the children's' interests.  Being flexible allows the students to have a certain amount of vulnerability in their daily activities. 

 DEC Code of Ethics 

7. We shall be responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families we serve by protecting all forms of verbal, written, and electronic communication.

I think as teachers we want our classroom  to feel like our extended family, and we can have occasional slips of information of someone that hurt someone else, or any other information.  This is a reminder to myself and my co-workers that each child's information is confidential and not for anyone else.   

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

" In the good years, work very hard to win everything that's possibly winnable.  In the bad years, work just as hard to keep you losses to a minimum.  There are good times, and there are bad times.  But you have to stay in the game." - Edward Zigler

"If you want to provide rich opportunity for the development of language skills, then encourage dramatic play- a place where you'll really see children's language grow and thrive." - Deborah Leong

"Children are still trying to figure out their identity.  They are still being bombarded with positive and negative messages." - Louise Derman Sparks

" We are professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child's life for the better." - Sandy Escobido

Personal Childhood Web

My Dad

 I just want to start out saying that I love my family.  I did not have a "normal" childhood growing up.  Life was always changing and so was my home situation.  The people that I have chosen are people that I could always call on no matter what, that would be there for you.

<-- This is my Dad.  An amazingly understanding person that has always loved me for who I am, no matter what.  He has always been a support for me, because when I needed him the most he would offer solid advice and just listen.  I enjoyed every minute I got to spend with him, and now I miss being so far away from him.
 

 I lived with my mom and brother through most of my youth.  My brother hated my guts most of the time, or so it felt, but he too was there when we needed to talk.  My Aunt and Uncle we have always seen at family holidays.  Though we lived far away, they would always take the time to do something with us.  It wasn't just like playing a game of cards, but it was doing some sort of activity.  Whether Ice Skating, cooking or going to the theme park.

These two amazing people are my grandparents (left and bottom).  My grandfather was an amazing influence to everyone around him.  He was always so helpful to the students that he taught, when he was a teacher.  When I would spend part of my summers in Michigan with them, he would take the weekends and time after work to do activities with me.  We could paint, draw or go on bike rides.  After every night of painting with him, he would give me homework for the next day.  He would give me tips of what to try and what other materials to try working with.  It was always nice to have someone that would listen to my ideas and support them whether big or small.  During the day my grandma would do crafts with me.  We made a couple of quilts, we would create other things, or we would bake.  One of the things that I enjoyed about going to my grandparents house, was that my great grandparents lived there as well.  It was such a blessing to be able to see my families generations in one house.  
My summers were my learning adventures.  It was my time where I was able to be me, without the restrictions of homework and daily activities that you had to do throughout the school year.  

 All of these people still influence my life.  I might not be the "typical" daughter, sister, niece or granddaughter but I respect my families opinion. Even if I might do things differently then what they did, I still want them to recognize the educational goals that I have mastered, and continue to seek. 

Memories

Working in the Early Childcare field is not always the easiest, and the rewards are not covered in gold and turned into a statue that you can put on your book shelf.  The rewards are the excitement that you see on your students face when the light bulb has just clicked on.  

This is my light bulb story.  Two years ago I never thought that I would be working in a small room at a local daycare.  The bonus of working in this room, was that there were only 5 students in there.  I was able to give all my kids a lot of attention, and that was something that one little girl was not given in her previous room.  The new girl who was joining my room was blind.  Inside I freaked out!  I've worked with special needs children, but this one was a first for me.  In talking with the parents and using her IFSP as a guideline of what needed to be worked on, I got to work.

Now when this little girl started in my room she didn't stand, walk, talk or eat normal foods, this was a challenge.  So day by day we took baby steps to introduce new activities to her, to get her interested in what was going on around her.  She made amazing progress, and in a little under a year of being stuck in a small room with me, she had a light bulb moment.  I walked into my room, and my friend walked over to me hugged my leg and said "Hi".  

All my previous thoughts of not being able to make a difference was shattered.  A three year old convinced me, that I am a good teacher and I can make a difference.