Lee High School

How can a child psychologist make a difference in children's lives?

Child Psychology

Daisy Campos

Senior Capstone

J Snyder

April 13 , 2017
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Daisy Campos

Jensen Snyder

Senior Capstone

April 13 , 2017

Child Psychology

This generation might not see it these days, but Child Psychology is something children

need, whether it be children from age four to ten or children from age ten to eighteen, it is still

needed. Children need a certain amount of care and attention or else they could grow up to be

diagnosed with either clinical or personality disorders. Child psychologists make a difference in

children's lives in many ways. They make a difference in children's lives by researching tools

for lifelong success, providing mental health care, and solving common childhood issues

School psychologists, who are important members of school communities with

advanced knowledge of how to support students' academic performance and emotional

well-being, are well positioned to lead efforts to increase school connectedness (Sulkowski,

Demray, and Lazarus). Child psychologists use anything they can in their power to keep children

motivated and social. Child psychologist plays a major role in the lives of kids, and some

children grow up with no parents and are maybe sent to foster care. Growing up with no parents

or growing up with no one to communicate with or care for them, leads to neglect and that is

when children start to feel like they are useless and all alone. A child psychologist's job is to

listen and help children open up and talk about their feelings. They do not necessarily use hands-

on tools, but sometimes they can use puzzles or small activities for children to use while their
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sessions are in the process, puzzles and activities help children in their sessions because it helps

them focus and concentrate more.

Co-author of George Lucas Educational Foundation said, use these six simple strategies

to develop children's social and academic aptitude (Olga) implying that these are

things/activities that children should do. These are: help students know themselves, have students

stand in the shoes of others, teach students to seek and give feedback, practice listening, teach

collaboration, and treat mistakes as an opportunity. These are the things that child psychologists

do to mentally help children. By helping children know themselves, it's letting children figure

out what are things they like about themselves and what are things they should work on. It is

good to learn about the kids feelings and it's good to know their strengths and their weaknesses;

that way, psychologists can fix them. By having children stand in the shoes of others, it is good

because they can know what it's like to deal with other situations, and it teaches them to look at

other children's perspectives. What the psychologist likes to do is play games such as

role-playing, or debates. It is also good for students to seek and give feedback so they can know

how other children think and what they are thinking in general because if a student says

something that the student thought himself, they could find a connection then be able to open up

more. Practicing listening is beneficial for children because they can learn to listen to other

children or for example, when their parents are talking to them instead of doing what kids

usually do and not listen, they can learn to pay attention to them. It not only helps them in

school, but it can help them at home. Helping children treat mistakes as an opportunity is

something that every child should exercise.Whenever children see every mistake as a mistake,
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then they will never get over the mistake and will never move on from it. If they see it as the

opportunity to make things better and change, then they can live a happier life.

There are certain psychological disorders that children face such as attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder also known as ADHD, dyslexia and specific learning disability is known

as (SLD) The prevalence of SLD in schools is found out to be 6.6%. Research has shown that

foster care that offers stability, security and a good relationship can help young people to develop

and mature emotionally (Community Care) Child psychologists use those types of things to

help children. Offering stability ensures that children can be stable with themselves and be happy

with who they are. Providing security ensures that kids feel safe while being able to open up to

the person who is talking to them. The psychologist likes to make sure that children feel

comfortable and not feel like they are talking to strangers. A good relationship between the child

and the child psychologist benefits not only the child but the psychologist; it benefits the

psychologist because they can get to know the child better and be able to know things about the

child, for example, their strengths and weaknesses and the things they like to do, what they like,

what they don't like, what makes them sad or what makes them happy. That way they know what

strategies to use towards the child. This benefits the child so the child starts to feel comfortable

with the psychologist and that way, they gain trust. The sessions won't only be like therapy, but

would also be like actually getting to know someone who understands and can help. Children

today are avid consumers, with sophisticated needs, and mature outlooks (Exley and Exley)

There are an estimated 106,500 psychologists who possess current licenses in the United

States (American Psychological Association). This means that there are a lot of people who are

open to help those children in need. It is not easy, but it is possible to do. Being able to
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communicate well with children is something that can be hard to do, but it is also a good way of

making a difference in the world. Everyone knows that working with children isn't always the

easiest thing. Some children can be really easy to understand and easy to work with, but some

children can be non-talkative and not easy to work with. Child psychologists may seem like they

don't have a major role in the world, but they do. They also go through a lot of schooling to be

able to work provide not only mental health care, but utilizing tools, and solving common

childhood issues. It would be an honor to help children and give them the care and attention that

every child deserves.

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Work Cited

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