Running Head: MY VIRTUAL CHILD

My Virtual Child

Delia Pauley

Ivy Tech Community College

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My Virtual Child

At age 18, Keenan seems to be smart, responsible and social. I did learn through

his virtual life and our text that, as a parent, I should have been more nurturing when he

was a baby. I think that has contributed to the anxiety issues he had as an adolescent.

Brazelton says, Nurturing emotional relationships are the most crucial primary

foundation for both intellectual and social growth. The "regulatory" aspects of

relationships (for example, protection of children from over- or understimulation) help

children stay calm and alert for new learning. (2006, Brazelton) As he grew a little

older I did adjust to his needs and provided safety, comfort and encouragement. This

contributed to his ability to self regulate and his academic success. He also said,

Nurturing relationships enable a child to learn to think. (2006, Brazelton)

My relationship with Keenan also contributed to his social development. He

became a leader and developed positive friend relationships with his peers. Brazelton

also said, When there are secure, empathetic, nurturing relationships, children learn to

be intimate and empathetic, and eventually to communicate their feelings, reflect on their

own wishes, and develop their own relationships. (2006, Brazelton) We learned in our

text that the more parents get involved in their young childrens play (2015, Kail, p.

448 ), the more positive influence they can have in their lives. Parents can be the

playmate, social director, coach, and mediator (2015, Kail, p. 448). Kail said, When

parents demonstrate the reciprocal, cooperative nature of play, their childrens play with

peers is more successful (2015, Kail, p. 449). I engaged Keenan in positive interaction
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through reading together, playing games, and attending social activities throughout his

childhood.

Reading to Keenan had a significant impact on his ability to communicate and on

his academic success. Kail said, Parents can also help children learn words by reading

books with them (2015, Kail, p. 274). I read to Keenan from an early age. Reading

exposed Keenan to vocabulary he would not usually have in conversational language and

helped him early on in school with sight words, reading comprehension, as well as his

social skills. His advanced communication skills may have contributed to his ability to

interact with other children and become a leader among his peers.

As a parent I attempted to gear learning to Keenans strengths at home and that

contributed to his academic success. Kail said, Sternbergs theory of successful

intelligence defines successful intelligence as using ones abilities skillfully to achieve

ones personal goals. (2015, Kail, p. 237) Kail continued, In achieving personal goals,

people use three different kinds of abilities, analytic, creative, and practical abilities

(2015, Kail, p. 237). At home I provided games, reading and social activities that were

geared to his strengths and interests. He learned how to use his strengths to further his

abilities in other areas of his academic learning. I found reading material that he enjoyed

which helped him to grow as a reader; scientific activities that helped him grow in

analytical and practical abilities. I also encouraged his creativity through music, which is

one of his strengths.

Through this program I have learned more in-depth about how children learn and

grow. As Keenan grew I had to think strategically about my decisions and how they

would affect his growth. As a parent we sometimes live in the moment and dont have
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this information to process as we are making decisions for our children. Learning about

cognitive development, teaching to intelligences, language and moral development,

emerging emotions, and then relating that to a growing child makes a huge difference in

the development of that child. This program created an environment to make decisions

for a child based on the information learned and then witnesses the outcomes of our

choices. I realize that not all children have the same experiences as this virtual child.

This experiment showed the outcome of a child with parents that had all the right

answers. It also assumed that the child had no biological factors that would interfere with

his academic and social successes. Even though this was an experiment with only

environmental factors I can apply this information to my future profession as I interact

with my students and their families. It will help me recognize the unique qualities of

each child in my class and then be able to respond to the different learning styles, the

developmental needs, and the cultural and family influences that affect their learning. I

am more aware, after growing a virtual child, of the influence of environmental factors in

a childs life.
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References

Kail, R.V. (2015). Children and their development, (7th ed.). United States: Pearson.

Brazelton, T. B., & Greenspan, S. I. (2006). Why Children Need Ongoing Nurturing
Relationships. Early Childhood Today, 21(1), 14-15.