Personal Childhood Web-Week 3, Rebecca Rauch

(My grandma and grandpa at my high school graduation)  (Myself, my mom, dad, sister and Great-Grandma Ann on her 100th birthday)

                The environment in which I child grows up can have both negative and positive impacts on a child’s developments (Keenan & Evans, 2009). I had the privilege of growing up surrounded by people who positively influenced me in each developmental domain, which has lead me to becoming a well-rounded individual.

            The most inspirational person who was there for me from the day I was born was my Great-Grandma Ann. She was an educator, followed by administrator for over 30 years and provided me with experiences in reading and character development. She always made me feel special by singing me songs, letting me snuggle her when we would read books and baking our ‘secret recipes’ together. Her patient attitude and ability to turn every opportunity into a learning experience made me love spending time with her.  Her love of students was evident in each conversation she had with me about her career. From about the time I was three years old, I knew I wanted to grow up to be just like her. We had a special bond as she would share her trials and tribulations about teaching, allowing me to learn vicariously through her experiences. My grandma always told me when I was little that it was not an option to go on to college someday, but an obligation I had to her. After her nurturing support in each of my life endeavors, I was able to allow her to feel proud of me one last time before her passing at the age of 101 as I was accepted into college. I shared with her how I was going to become a teacher and it was thanks to her that I would follow my dreams. Her excitement and love she provided for me has helped me to develop into a well-educated, compassionate person. My great-grandma’s influence continues to impact me to this day as each time I have a stressful day at work, I remember my great-grandma and the joy she had for children. Remembering her excitement for living each day puts my life back into perspective and helps me to realize how tomorrow is a fresh, new day and to keep persevering through any difficult situations. Her nickname was the ‘Energizer Bunny’ and I am continually trying to keep up my energy and excitement to make learning fun each day, just as she did in the past.

            My mom is also an extremely important person in my childhood development. She taught me not only to walk, talk and read, but also fostered teachable moments as I learned social skills when playing with neighborhood children. My mom inspired me starting from a young age to always try out new things, yet reflect on them when I was done. This allowed me to become a more empathetic little girl. I was always shy growing up and my mom would foster my social developments by enrolling me in dance and athletic programs which she knew I would enjoy. Since my mom was a stay-at-home mom, her life was dedicated to ensuring I was supported in each of my developments. She would not only tell me how much she loved me, but would show me by making our favorite treats, spending time outside playing with me, and taking me on mini-field trips to continue my learning experiences. My mom would make me feel special by sneaking into my room each time before I would fall asleep and reading to me. She would bring me our large pet cat and together the three of us would share some special moments together reading and share lots of giggles. The impact my mother has on my life continues as she now also works in the education field. We are able to share stories, vent out our frustrations, and enjoy each other on a whole new level. She continues to provide academic, emotional and physical support to me, while continuing to inspire me to follow my dreams.

            My dad played a large part in my development growing up. Being a world traveler, he would teach me about different cultures and respecting differences among people. His professionalism and love of the outdoors created many adventures with using my imagination, while learning to be a good friend. His giant bear hugs, ability to transform into the tickle monster, and hard-working nature provided me with the comfort, excitement, compassion, and dedication I needed to take each part of my life as see it as an opportunity to learn.  My dad would pick me up from each of my sporting events and attended each game. His willingness to change his professional life plans around to be there to support me make me feel valued in his eyes. To this day, my dad continues to push me to becoming a better person. He is the one who encouraged me to continue on with my education, and continues to each me about working with diverse cultures.

            My grandma and grandpa are also two individuals who influenced my childhood developments. Both of them were extremely hard working individuals who attended college and knew about the importance of fostering learning experiences in a child’s life. My grandparents made me feel special growing up by allowing one-on-one days where I would sleep over at their house and get to choose an activity to do with each of them individually. These opportunities allowed for me to learn valuable life lessons such as the importance of listening to one another, how to reach my goals by talking to me about the steps I needed to take, and continuing to teach me about the importance of showing love to people within our society. My grandparents were avid volunteers at local community centers and animals shelters, allowing me to learn the invaluable lesson how it wasn’t always about receiving but about giving back to our community. To this day, my grandma and grandpa continue to show their love and support to me through spending time with me and asking me about what is new in my life. They continue to teach me how each day is a blessing and to never take it for granted. These simple reminders help me to remain positive and excited for the events which are yet to happen in my life.

            The environment provides such profound learning experiences during a child’s life, it is important for adults to be aware of how the environment affects children. I was thankful enough to have such driven, compassionate, supportive adults within my life, but it is important to remember that not all children receive the same support we have growing up. Fostering a caring environment at school is critical if we want children to develop to their best of their abilities, since we will never fully understand what a child’s environment is truly like outside of the educational setting.

Reference

Keenan, T., & Evans, S. (2009). Theories of development. In An introduction to child

development (pp. 35-43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Retrieved from

https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201420_02/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week%203/Resources/Resources/embedded/Keenan_Evans.pdf