ALMA RAMIREZ

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HD300 Early Childhood Themes and Life Cycles

Being one of my first classes at Pacific Oaks, was the perfect way of introducing the
whole philosophy concept behind PO. Early childhood themes and life cycles issues consisted of
Erik Erikson, Piaget, reviving Ophelia and an overall reflection of life. A whole new perspective
on life.
Growing up is a challenge in itself, when faced with violence, drug abuse, sexual assault
and no support from your family and those you trusted; It makes life that much more difficult.
After going through the eight stages of Erik Erikson, I was able to reflect on my past life as a
child and reflecting on my own wrong doing to my boys. I was a big preacher on cutting vicious
cycles that were once a part of my family. There was one in particular that I could not see, I
caught myself often yelling with anger at my oldest for things that he had no fault. Everything
would bother me and trickling my anger onto him. I felt as though I could not change it, it felt
like it was a part of me and he was wrong and I was right. The stages and this class came at a
perfect time, I was able to reflect on the negatives and work toward the positives. I think this is
one huge step for a work in progress.
This class also gave me the understanding of what Human Development means. Human
Development becomes our everyday life, from the moment we are born, to our old age.
Development begins way into the first initiation of the womb, then shaped by our family, society
and our own connections. For example, when I did the toddler observation I saw the dynamic
between mother and son. To live it day in and day out is not the same when actually observing
the relationship between them both. A child depends and grows with love, nurture, nature,
nutrition and trust from its family.

ALMA RAMIREZ

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As a person who wants to work for the community, I learned to make connections to a
persons actions, personality and qualities. Working with families, a long time ago, I had the
tendency to blame parents and not the adolescents or sometimes the adolescents. I understood
that both are victims of such cycles. I did not take into account the families culture and
traditions. Many of the families that I worked with came from down south, many were struggling
to fit in into mainstream society and this is when the adolescents were caught up in their wrong
choices of life.
In conclusion, I was able to fulfill the class goals by participating with the required
readings, homework and the overall participation in class. It was a great introduction to Pacific
Oaks College philosophy and the outlook on social justice. The eight stages of Erikson has
helped me understand the development of life and if one stage is missing it can affect the res,
although it is never too late to catch up and put the stages in order. The observation taught me a
great deal of each individual from the toddler to the adolescent. My frame of seeing and judging
others has completely changed, my approach to others is to understand without judging and be
compassionate to all those who cross my path.