EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Assignment-100 points

You should have an access code for MyVirtualChild that accompanied the text if you purchased
it from the Ivy Tech bookstore. If you do not have the access code, you will need to buy one
since each person receives a unique Virtual Child after answering personality and ability
questions.
This project is completed over the course of the semester. However, you can arrange to spend
time raising your child in larger portions if that fits your schedule better. After the initial
assessment, you will be introduced to your Virtual Child. You will raise the child from birth to
age 18. During the course of development, there are questions, events, and videos embedded in
the MyVirtualChild program.
There are four reports that you are asked to write while raising your child. You need to reach
certain milestones in your childs development in order to write each of the four reports. For
example, the first report covers Infants and Toddlers (birth to two years), the second report
involves Early Childhood (age 3-4), the third report consists of Middle Childhood (ages 6-11
years), and the final report deals with Adolescence (age 12-18).
Responses to questions in each report should be answered under the specific question. Since this
is a Word document, you can type your response under the question. Use citations in-text if you
use information from the textbook or another source to answer questions. Citations should be in
APA format.
Each report is worth 25 points. Therefore, you can accumulate a possible score of 100 points for
raising your Virtual Child.
The following pages list questions to answer in each report. The evaluation criteria for reports
follow the report question pages.

EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Report
Name_ _Victoria Waller______________

Date_10-1-14_______

MyVirtualChild- Report 1(Infant-Toddler)

General guidelines: Answer the questions below for your report. Describe the childs behavior
and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should relate your
descriptions and explanations of the childs behavior to the concepts, theories and research
covered in class or in the book. Try to base your arguments on research studies and conclusions,
or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field. The questions are below with
point value following the questions.
1. How does your babys eating, sleeping and motor development compare to the typical
developmental patterns in the first 9 months? (2)
Qui-Gon Jinn was born pre-maturely. He has gained weight regularly since, and at 9 months
old he is starting to eat ground up food which is right on time for his age. The doctor urges us to
start feeding him a wider variety of fruits and vegetables. Other than that, Qui-Gon Jinn is a
healthy baby boy. He is not quite sleeping through the night, but we think we are very close to
getting him on a set schedule. He is very active and we try to keep him up as late as possible so
he will sleep through the night. We also make sure he doesnt take too long of a nap in the
afternoon, so he will want to fall asleep around 8 pm. His motor development is right on track.
He is a very active crawler and is sitting up and standing up!
2. How is your childs attachment relationship to you or your partner (whoever is the
mother) developing? What is happening at the 3-month and 8-month periods that might
affect attachment security according to Bowlby and Ainsworth, and various research
studies? (2 points)
Beginning at three months Qui-Gon Jinn is focusing on me when he hears my voice. I am the
person he prefers for everything. Since I have breast fed him from birth, this could be a reason he
prefers me. He associates me with feeding time. By 8 months old it is clear that Qui-Gon Jinn
prefers me over my husband. We plan on having my husband play and interact with him more.
Qui-Gon Jinn will cry when I leave him at day-care, but the day-care providers say he gets over
it quickly after I leave. When reading about Mary Ainsworth I find I believe Qui-Gon Jinn might
have a secure attachment to me. According to Bowlby during this period in Qui-Gin Jinns life he
is forming a true attachment to me. I believe both are healthy. Around the 8 month period I also
notice that Qui-Gon Jinn clings to me and cry when put in a new situation, and when meeting
new people. I hope that if I keep exposing him to new people and situations he will grow out of
his shyness.
3. Describe and give examples of changes in your childs exploratory or problem solving

Behavior from 8 through 18 months and categorize them according to Piagetian and
Information processing theories. (4 points)
At 8 months old, when I tried the object permanence test with him, Qui-Gon Jinn was able to
find a hidden object, as long as I didnt wait too long or distract him in the middle of his search.
He really likes the hiding game. When I hide the object in the same place repeatedly, and then
change the hiding place, Qui-Gon Jinn looks in the old hiding place, and then get confused and
loses focus on the game. He has developed his sensory memory. Qui-Gon Jinn is now starting to
create goal for himself that have two steps to accomplish. This is when he is starting to develop a
working memory. At 18 months old he is now able to find an object I hide under a cloth even if I
hide it in two different spots. His long-term memory is starting to develop. He enjoys peek-aboo, and he takes on task to high a level for his age. He usually gets frustrated, but I help him
through his problems with little hints and advice on how to complete his task. According to
Piagetian theory Qui-Gon Jinn throughout his first two years of life is at his sensory motor stage.
His knowledge of the world is purely based on sensory and motor skills.
4. Analyze your babys temperament in more detail at 19 months than you did at 8 months.
How would you describe your baby in terms of the five aspects of temperament utilized by
the Virtual Child program (activity, sociability, emotionality, aggressiveness vs.
cooperativeness, and self-control)? Has your childs temperament been stable over the first
18 months? A blurb defining and providing examples of the five aspects of temperament is
provided at 12 months in the program, but you should seek out further explanations of
temperament from your textbook. Explain how the concept of goodness of fit (also
discussed in the blurb on infant temperament) applies to your interactions with your child.
(4 points)
At 19 months of age Qui-Gon Jinn is doing well when put into a classroom with other
children. After he warms up, he interacts just fine with the other children. I have notice that when
he is calm everything is good, but when he gets tired or hungry he starts to throw tantrums.
Throughout the day at day-care, when things dont go his way he becomes moody and irritable.
Qui-Gon Jinn is stand offish to other adults, but given time, he comes around. With this in mind,
I ranked him: He has high activity, average to low sociability, and average to high emotionality.
He sometimes cooperates, and leans on the low side of self-control. Qui-Gon's temperament
hasn't been to stable. He goes from being really happy to moody really quickly. With that being
said, as a parent I try to have goodness of fit. When he is upset about new adults I wait until he
gets used to them to allow them to hold him. I want to warm him up to things. I also encourage
activity, because he is very active himself. I don't want to try and go against his grain and change
him, I want him to be him.
5. Is your child delayed or advanced in any area of development according to the 19-month
developmental examiners report? Based on what you have studied, do you think this is
most likely a result of specific biological or environmental factors? (2 points)
My child is neither advanced or behind in his development. I think this is mainly based on
environmental factors. He is picking up on words and meanings from his parents and we try to

expand the words we use to communicate with him. We are not over pushing knowledge and
learning, but we never prevent him from learning new things.
6. Describe your childs communication and language development in the first 30 months.
Is your child developing at a typical or atypical rate? (2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn's communication skills are growing at a typical rate. By two years of age he is
speaking mostly in two to three word "telegraphic" sentences. His vocabulary is expanding
because of his desire to learn new words. Qui-Gon Jinn's scores on language comprehension and
production were average, and he is beginning to show more use of words in past tense, plurals,
and more. The specialist recommended that I continue to talk about anything of interest to him,
and read his favorite books to him and go on outings.
7. How is your child progressing on typical toddler issues, such as learning household rules,
learning to follow routines, listening to you, developing self-control and learning to get
along with other children? (2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn is progressing well on household rules. Around the time he turned 1 he didn't
want to do what I told him to, but by age two he is helping and following rules better. He is
getting into a daily routine and is listening well. He is starting to develop self-control, through
direction. He is still learning to share, but I believe he is very intelligent and will catch on.
8. Analyze your own parenting philosophy and practices. What principles from learning or
social learning theory, Bowlby, Ainsworth, Piaget, Vygotsky, information processing theory,
neuroscience or other theories do you appear to have relied on in making your parenting
choices or interpreting your childs behavior? Include three principles and identify one or
more theorists who espoused these principles in your answer. (4 points)
I base my parenting mainly on Piagets theory. His principle of stages of cognitive
development seem to make the most sense to me and my husband. Qui-Gon Jinn is going
through the sensorimotor stage, and is realizing cause and effect. He is also learning about object
permanence, and moving past the out of sight out of mind stage. Vygotskys zone of proximal
development theory also has my attention. Qui-Gon Jinn is always trying to solve problems that
are a bit above his head. Vygotsky believed that with parents help children can learn and
accomplish much more. The aide that the adult gives to the child is called scaffolding. I really
like this theory. Mary Ainsworth and Bowlby both had theories on attachment. I wanted Qui-Gon
Jinn to have a secure attachment to me. Ainsworth describes a secure attachment as on in which
the child misses the caregiver when they leave, but when they return they are happy and content.
I do agree with Bowlby; however, that a mother and her child go through 4 stages of attachment
and each one is very important for development of social learning skills. Although I pull from
multiple theorist and multiple theories I believe Qui-Gon Jinn is doing well for his age and will
continue having confidence in my child rearing skills.

EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Report
Name_____Victoria Waller_________

Date____10/23/14_______

MyVirtualChild- Report 2-Early Childhood (Age 3-4)

General guidelines: Answer the questions below for your report. Describe the childs behavior
and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should relate your
descriptions and explanations of the childs behavior to the concepts, theories and research
covered in class or in the book. Try to base your arguments on research studies and conclusions,
or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field. The questions are below with
point value following the questions.
1. What activities and experiences have you and your child engaged in that might be
promoting healthy behavioral practices and an interest in physical activity? Refer to the
book and lecture where needed. (2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn and I have been engaging in many activities and experiences that might
promote healthy behavioral practices and encourage interest in physical activity. When Qui-Gon
is being less compliant and more aggressive at home I use reminders and time-out's to rein in his
naughty behavior. I hope that this practice at home will help with his behavior at school. When
Qui-Gon Jinn forgets to pick up after himself or doesn't mind me or other adults I try to make his
routines into a game, praising him only when he listens and accomplishes tasks. Since Qui-Gon
Jinn is becoming more skilled in playing with other kids, I get to know some of the parents
whose children seem to play with Qui-Gon. I set up play dates to encourage this group play.
Group play is a healthy behavior and physical activity. When Qui-Gon gets scared by a monster
under the bed or in the closet I check these places and settle him down. I make him continue to
sleep in his own room, because I feel this is a healthy behavior I wish to instill in him. To
encourage the healthy activity of fantasy play my spouse and I play super hero and house when
Qui-Gon asks us to join in. We also frequently sing his pre-school songs with him to help with
his language. When he is acting out in a restaurant we tell him how we expect him to act and
reward him for good behavior, or take away treats when he is behaving poorly. I encourage
educational television and watch it with Qui-Gon often. I also encourage looking and books and
read to him often. He loves riding his bike and my husband and I encourage this physical activity
as well as others including ball sports and many more. We take him to museums and zoos when
he is good to expand his horizons. When Qui-Gon attempts to lie I recognize that this is a
possible development of the Theory of Mind (understanding of behavior and connections of
thoughts), but still explain to him why this is wrong and tell him how it makes me feel sad. I then
place him in time-out for good measure. These are some of the ways I encourage healthy
behavior and physical activity with my child.

2. Describe the development of your childs language and cognitive skills and discuss how
these might be affecting his or her interactions with you & your responses. Refer to the text
or lecture for descriptions and explanations of each area of skill. (2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinns Development of language and cognitive skills is expanding quit well.
When my spouse and I have a small fight and I storm out of the room we could tell Qui-Gon Jinn
understood that I was angry and kept asking if I was running away. He is also expanding his
cognitive development by watching cartoons and acting out fantasy scenes. My responses to this
fantasy play is normal in the fact that I join in as usual, but when he wants to sleep in my room at
2 in the morning because there is a monster under his bed, I respond by checking under his bed
and suggest it is his imagination. I can tell Qui-Gons language skills are expanding because he
loves singing new songs he has learned. I try to help him learn the full songs. When he starts to
lie to me I notice this as a hint that he is starting to develop a Theory of Mind. This means he is
connecting actions to words and words to right and wrong. He knows what he is doing, and my
response to this is a swift time-out and an explanation to him about how wrong it is and how it
makes me feel sad. To understand this response he will have to use his newly developed
language and cognitive skills.
3. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home?
Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think
these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them? Refer to the text or
lecture as needed. (2 points)
Based on the testing situation and the observations at the preschool, my friend thought
that Qui-Gon Jinn was cooperative and friendly with both adults and other children, and was able
to focus well on tasks. Qui-Gon Jinn seemed self-confident in new social situations and seemed
to be well-liked by several children. He had several tiny friends in the preschool and was
somewhat of a group leader in free play activities, such as imaginary play or riding trikes (just
like his mommy). My friend recommended that I continue to be affectionate but firm on the rules
at home. She thought that this was an appropriate age for Qui-Gon Jinn to have little friends over
from time to time, or to visit their homes for play dates. Which I will continue to set-up.
Sometimes Qui-Gon ignores and disobeys adults, but I am working on this bad habit by
correcting and using time-outs at home.
4. How would you characterize your parenting style (e.g., authoritative, authoritarian,
permissive, or variations or combinations of these styles)? Refer to the book or lecture
descriptions to justify your classification. How have your specific parenting techniques
changed since infancy? (2 points)
I would characterize my parenting style as authoritative parenting. I always explain the
rules, and encourage discussions. I combine a fair degree of parental control with warmth and
responsitivity to Qui-Gon. When I catch Qui-Gon Jinn in a moment of bad behavior, I prefer to
explain to him the rules, then place him in time-out by then ask him what he did wrong, and tell
him how it made me or others feel (often sad). Throughout his childhood I feel as though my
parenting style has not changed, however My Virtual Child has seen me as a combination of not
only Authoritative, but also Authoritarian and Permissive. Meaning at times I care a lot about the

rules and expect them to be followed without question, or at times I am relaxed about the rules
and punish unfrequently.
5. Describe three specific examples of changes in your childs behavior at age 4 that seem to
stem from growth in cognitive and language ability since the period of infancy (e.g.,
improvements in symbolic thinking, reasoning, knowledge of the world, theory of mind).
Refer to the book or lecture. (4 points)
At the age of four Qui-Gon Jinn exhibits multiple changes in his behavior that seem to
stem from growth in cognitive and language ability. One example of these changes is how
fascinated he was when he discovered that numbers like 20, 30, etc. Can be combined with
numbers 1-9. He was then able to count up to 80. He has mastered learning to count. He
understand the one-to-one principle, the stable-order principle and the Cardinality principle.
Knowing and using numbers is a great cognitive development. Another example of change in
Qui-Gon Jinns development is how fast he is learning the sounds of all the letters in the
alphabet. He can now read a few word and write his own name! These new skills stem from
cognitive and language ability. He is using reasoning and symbolic thinking as he develops his
phonological awareness (distinguishing sounds in spoken words), and sounding out words. He is
also using his cognitive memory to remember sounds and word spellings. A third example of his
changes in behavior stemming from cognitive and language ability is his idea of gender roles. He
seems to being using his knowledge of the world to create a rigid idea of gender roles. He
believes boys should not play with dolls and girls cant be firefighters. It is only natural in
todays world for him to develop ideas about gender roles, although I would like to down play
these ideas.
6. How would you characterize your childs personality? Would you say that your child is
primarily over controlled, under controlled or resilient? Support your argument. Recall
that the Virtual Childs behavior at age 3 and 4 is designed to resemble one of three
personality types. The personality types combine some of the temperamental traits with
which you are already familiar. The over controlled category refers to a child who is
cooperative and follows the rules, but is shy in social situations and anxious and clingy
under pressure. The under controlled category refers to a child who is uncooperative or
even aggressive, does not follow the rules, may or may not be shy in social situations, and
has a tendency to become distracted and overly emotional, particularly when under stress.
The resilient category refers to a child who is cooperative and follows the rules, is friendly,
non-aggressive and outgoing, able to focus on tasks without being too distracted, has good
regulation of his or her emotions, and is adaptable to new situations. Refer to the course
reader and lecture. (2 points)
At the tail end of age four I would characterize Qui-Gon Jinns personality in the resilient
category. In the pre-kindergarten assessment, the teacher says that Qui-Gon has made 1 or two
friends, and is cooperative with them, but is a little reluctant to play with other children. The
teacher noted that Qui-Gon Jinn had no difficulty adapting to the "practice" kindergarten
activities the children were asked to do. Qui-Gon Jinn was generally cooperative, avoided getting
distracted, and stayed on task. Qui-Gon Jinn did not get upset when mild stress occurred (such as
an instruction to hurry up).

7. Look for evidence of continuity as well as discontinuity in your childs behavior from
infancy through early childhood. Give an example of an aspect of ability or personality that
has remained fairly stable. Give an example of an aspect of ability or personality that has
been unstable. Why do you think change occurred in one area and not the other? Refer to
the book or lecture with regard to reasons for continuity or discontinuity. (4 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn has shown evidence of continuity in his behavior from infancy through
early childhood. He has always been a tiny bit shy around new adults and children, but he always
warms up to children and adults as he get to spend more time with them. This personality aspect
has always remained fairly stable. On the other hand, Qui-Gon Jinn has shown aspects of
discontinuity in his behavior throughout his life. He has went from very clingy to his mom to
enjoying the company of his father and other adults and children just as much. He has also
developed a sense of jealousy toward his sister over the last year. These aspects of his personality
are common in children his age, but very unstable. The jealousy obviously occurred in the early
childhood years and not the infancy years because more of my attention was directed toward his
sister and not solely on Qui-Gon Jinn. I believe the difference in clinginess over the years
occurred because I encouraged him to interact with others, and not just me. I also believe that
when I started working full time again and Qui-Gon Jinn started pre-school he met new people
and started doing new things that helped with his growing a little less clinging to me and more
open to other adults and children.
8. Your Virtual child is growing up basically in an average American cultural setting. Based
on what you have learned from the course, how specifically might your childs behavior be
different if she was raised in a different culture? Alternatively, if you are familiar with a
different culture (e.g., you or your parents were raised in a country outside America with a
very different culture), you can describe how youre parenting, or your childs behavior
might be different within that cultural setting. As a third option, describe and give
examples of how your parenting style, or any other aspect of your parenting, has been
influenced by your cultural background or other experiences. Describe the rationale for
your claim, and the source of your information (book or lecture, or your own experience
growing up at least partially within a particular culture).
(4 points)
My parents were raises in Cincinnati, Ohio. Although this city is right across the state
line, I have seen many way in which I was raised differently than them, because they were raised
in a city, and I was raised in the country. I feel as though the My Virtual Child is set in a city or
the suburbs of a city. I feel as though when my parents grow up they were accustom to many
store and places to hang-out, whereas, I having grown up out in the boone-docks have found fun
outside in the woods, hunting, or in the hay loft. Educational TV was not used much for me as a
child. One example I have seen recently at the daycare I work at is the idea of hunting by the 3
and 4 year olds. Every single one of their dads and even some of their moms hunt for deer. So
they draw guns and pretend play they are hunting. Did I do this type of play when I was young?
No, because my parents never hunted in the city. They knew nothing about farming. These
children know about farming and want to pretend to play hunt and farm. I believe in cultural
influence on intelligence and Gardners theory of multiple intelligences. City children may have

more of an intrapersonal intelligence, but country children may have more of a spatial,
naturalistic, or bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Report
Name__________________________________

Date_______________

MyVirtualChild-Middle Childhood (Age 6-11)-Report 3

General guidelines: Answer the questions below for your report. Describe the childs behavior
and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should relate your
descriptions and explanations of the childs behavior to the concepts, theories and research
covered in class or in the book. Try to base your arguments on research studies and conclusions,
or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field. The questions are below with
point value following the questions.
1. Based on the evidence from age 6 and 8 years, how well is your child adapting to the
school social environment and to the peer group? To what extent does this adaptation seem
to depend on personality characteristics that are fairly stable in your child, and to what
extent does your child seem to be developing novel behavior to cope with these new
situations? Refer to the textbook for particular points about the responses of children in
this age group to the peer group and the school environment. (2 points)
Although hesitant and nervous on his first day of school Qui-Gon Jinn seemed to adapt
very well to the social environment and to the peer group. After just a few minutes he was
climbing across the monkey bars with a few boys his age. Qui-Gon Jinn seems to like all his
teachers and is excelling in his studies. On the playground I noticed that the boys usually engage
in physical activities in fairly large groups and keep the girls out. Qui-Gon Jinn seems to be able
to play with both boys and girls, but he mostly sticks to the boys. Qui-Gon Jinn gets along very
well with other children on an individual basis and is not shy at all. He usually works
cooperatively in groups, usually respects rights and property of others, and usually demonstrates
appropriate peer social interaction. He also has a good relationship with his teacher and several
other adult relatives, friends and neighbors. Qui-Gon Jinn and his friends spend a lot of their
time playing sports, roughhousing, or roaming the neighborhood on bikes and skateboards. QuiGons willingness to learn is an adaptation that seems to depend on personality characteristics
that are fairly stable. I feel as though he is developing novel behavior to cope with all the new
peers and teachers. He has always been a little hesitant when around new people, but now he is
not hesitant at all. According to the text his peer group is currently developing their gender
identities. The boys tend to avoid the girls because they enjoy constricting interaction and know
that if they play girls sissy games they will likely get made fun off for it. Qui-Gon is a little
mature in this area for his age. As a parent we tried to keep gender stereotypes to a minimum. He
seems to play well with both girls and boys, but leans toward the boys play most likely because it
feels natural. I believe Qui-Gon may have mastered gender constancy from Kohlbergs Theory of
Gender Identity. Because of our parent child secure attachment, Qui-Gon seems to be content
with who he is as a person and this helps him be comfortable in school. We have always worked

on incorporating learning at home in fun ways so he has a slight edge when he learns new things
in school.
2. How smart is your child, and in what areas? Refer to the summary of multiple
intelligences that appeared at age 6 and to sections of your textbook and the course reader
article on multiple intelligences. Find specific evidence regarding your child's verbal,
logical mathematical, spatial, musical and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence from your
observations of your own child as well as the psychologist's report at age 8 years, 11 months
and explain how it ties in to the your course reading material. (2 points)
At age 8 Qui-Gon Jinn is able to sound out almost any word, and now only occasionally
gets stuck when reading aloud. He enjoys reading and looks forward to it. His scores were in the
average to above average range in word reading, reading fluency, phonological awareness and
spelling. This could indicate that he has a Linguistic intelligence. Qui-Gon Jinn is also very
interested in hearing about other places and looking them up on the map. Qui-Gon Jinn's talent
and interest in math has suddenly improved as well. Qui-Gon Jinn's scores on the math concepts,
math application problems, and math computation tests were well above average. The
psychologist said that he should clearly be placed in 7th grade math, and possibly in a gifted
math program. This of course means that he has a Logical-mathematical intelligence. Qui-Gon
Jinn came home wanting to join the instrumental music program at school, he was very excited
when we got him a saxophone. He was also able to start learning the keyboard at home without
any help or encouragement. This tells me that he has a bit of a musical intelligence. Qui-Gon
Jinn's scores on tests of visual-spatial ability (spatial rotation, copying of designs, etc.) were
above average. This means he may also have a bit of spatial intelligence. Although Qui-Gon
enjoyed baseball and soccer he liked the team aspect the most. He was decent at both sports but
decided to only continue with baseball. I feel as though this is a possible developing bodilykinesthetic intelligence. All these intelligences are based on Gardners theory of multiple
intelligences. I believe Qui-Gon is still developing his.
3. Describe some examples of your child's behavior or thinking that you think are due to
typical American gender role socialization and explain why you think so, referring to the
text and lectures regarding gender roles and sex differences in behavior. Several examples
can be found in the Virtual Child program at ages 6 and 8. How closely does your attitude
toward gender roles correspond to typical American attitudes, and if there is a discrepancy,
to what do you attribute this (e.g., cultural background, attitudes of your own parents,
etc.)? (2 points)
During recess at Qui-Gons school the boys play with the boys, playing physical activities
in larger groups, while the girls play with the girls, in small or even one-on-one groups. Qui-Gon
is able to play with both boys and girls, but he tends to stick with the boys. This may gravitate
some from typical American gender role socialization. The typical adult would expect or
encourage the boys to play rough and tumble sports with other boys, while the adult would
encourage the girl to play soft games with other girl children. Qui-Gon Jinn has also been
imitating his dad more. He finds what dad is doing as interesting. We have been encouraging him
to try out traditionally feminine skills as well. His dad loves to cook, so they cook together, a

typical American female job. Qui-Gon Jinn and his friends spend a lot of their time playing
sports, roughhousing, or roaming the neighborhood on bikes and skateboards. They rarely play
with girls, but Qui-Gon Jinn seems more tolerant of girls than many of the other boys. Many
American parents may encourage their boys to play with other boys in this fashion. We as
parents differ from the typical American attitude. This discrepancy would be due to the fact that
our culture differs from our parents, and we do not want to pass on the gender stereotypes that
our parents pass on to us.
4. Describe changes in your childs academic skills between ages 6 and 10 and assess how
well these skills are developing. If your child has any problems that affect school work,
such as dyslexia, ADHD, or low levels of verbal, mathematical/scientific or spatial ability.
Describe these problems and explain what you and the teachers are doing about them. The
5th grade report card will be useful for this but you should also incorporate your own
observations. If your child doesnt have any academic difficulties, describe what you are
doing any way to help your child do well in math/science and literacy (reading, writing and
communicating). (4 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn seems more engaged in math and science then the other children in his
class. He is very good at math. It comes very easy for him. We as parents enjoy helping Qui-Gon
Jinn work more challenging math homework, puzzles, and explore new science activities. He has
always been working a year ahead in math. The teachers say he demonstrates strength in Math,
and on the IQ test Qui-Gon scored above average, and should be recommended for a gifted math
class or to work two classes ahead his own. The school doesnt offer a gifted class so Qui-Gon is
just taking one class ahead of his own. He seems board with the subject. He still favors science
overall. We enjoy taking him to the childrens science museum, the natural history museum, and
checking out books from the library on science subjects. His teachers say he is developing
appropriately in the Science field. Qui-Gon just cant seem to get enough science though. We
enrolled him in after-school science camps and other science discovery camps to encourage his
love of science. His teacher and I enter him and a group of students into a science fair and he is
excited! His language skills are developing rapidly and he loves to read. To encourage his
literacy we take him to the library and he picks out books that he is interested in. I also
introduced him to childrens literacy magazines, nature magazines, and newspapers stories, as
well as other harder books or poetry books I think he would like. We sometimes read the books
together and discuss parts of the stories. I also expose him to variety of things, such as literacy
learning apps on my smartphone, books downloaded to my electronic pad, and paper books as
read-alouds, on topics of his interest. The teachers all say he demonstrates strength in literacy. He
is having a little trouble with writing, but I try to help by going over his writing for school and
praising it, while also correcting spelling and suggesting some better word choices. On the IQ
test Qui-Gon scored average to above average in literacy. We encourage him to write stories and
read them for the family for more practice.
5. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home?
Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems that have become apparent
between 6 and 10 years of age? (Some possibilities include internalizing and externalizing
problems, ADHD, and obesity). Why do you think these problems are occurring and what
are you doing about them? (2 points)

Qui-Gon Jinn seems more engaged in school then most children his age. He seems to
love to learn, however this engagement in learning does not seem to inhibit his social life with
school friends. To make sure it doesnt, we allow sleepovers and play dates. Qui-Gon Jinn does
like to cheat when playing games like board games, but I have been stopping the game and
telling him that we can play later when he is following the rules. Recently he has been lying
about things that happen at school, or blaming messes on his sister. I realize that Qui-Gon Jinn is
still at the pre-conventional level of moral development, so I tell Qui-Gon Jinn stories or fables
about people who lied ("The Boy Who Cried Wolf"), and talk about how people feel when other
people lie to them. When Qui-Gon Jinn does occasionally confess, I praise him for telling the
truth. He is more sensitive to arguments me and my spouse have. This may be a small problem
with security. After the argument Qui-Gon seems to be emotionally upset or misbehaves for a
couple of hours. I try to explain to him that sometimes dad and I disagree but we still love each
other, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Chloe. Sometimes I believe these arguments stem arguments between
Qui-Gon Jinn and Chloe. These squabbles develop into a serious fight and they progress from
screaming at each other, to pushing, and sometimes even hitting. If this happens, I intervene and
physically keep the children apart. I make them immediately explain each side of the story, listen
carefully, and then punish the child I think is at fault. Since I feel as though Qui-Gon is at the
Pre-conventional level Qui-Gon is fighting with his sister because he is always right.
Occasionally Qui-Gon Jinn gets upset during stressful situations inside or outside the classroom,
but usually is able to bounce back Qui-Gon Jinn is usually cheerful and in good humor. He uses
humor to deal with stress or just shrugs off life's little upsets. Very rarely, he runs across a
problem that gets him really upset. At these times I try to share a similar experience I or someone
I know had in the past, and then listen to Qui-Gon Jinn if he wants to talk about it.
6. Has your parenting changed since the preschool period and if so, why do you think it has
changed and what effect might this have on your child? Refer to your textbook or lecture
notes for evidence on typical changes in parenting that occur in middle childhood. (2
points)
My parenting has changed very little since the preschool period. I still employ an
authoritative parenting style, however, as Qui-Gon Jinn has grown into adolescence I take on less
authority and give Qui-Gon room to make some of his own decisions. I step in and remind him
of his duty of retaining good grades and being responsible, but only when he needs it. This will
make him more responsible and teach him independence and to take pride in himself. Qui-Gon
has always had what the text calls an easy temperament. Because of his easy temperament I only
remind Qui-Gon how to act and what is bad when needed.
7. Has your childs personality type changed since age 4? Are there any personality traits
and abilities on which your child closely resembles you? Describe two of them. Do you
think this comes about because of a genetic resemblance (i.e., your questionnaire
responses) or some consistent practices youve followed in your parenting? For example, if
you and your child are both highly open to experience, and you took every available
opportunity to explore new things with your child, is it possible youve taught your child to
be open to experience? (4 points)

One big change in Qui-Gon Jinns personality since age 4 is that his is no longer shy of
new peers and adults. Many of his personality traits and abilities resemble me. Qui-Gon has an
extraordinary ability in Mathematics. The IQ test gave us reason to put him in a gifted class or a
class two years ahead of his own. When I was young, I was always very good in math. I never
received less than an A in any math class. The school I went to like Qui-Gon Jinns did not have
gifted classrooms, so like Qui-Gon I was bored of the subject and liked exploring science. I think
this may have come about because of a genetic resemblance. Some people have a Logicalmathematical intelligence and that is us! Another way Qui-Gon Jinns personality closely
resembles mine is that he is and has always been very active. He loves sport and exploring and
playing outside with his friends and his sister Chloe. I believe this resemblance is formed from
some consistent practices Ive followed in my parenting. My parents were both very active, and
loved introducing their children to new things and activities. I was skiing at two years old. When
raising Qui-Gon Jinn we actively played sports with him since he was very young. When he was
old enough to understand the game, we signed him up to try out baseball, soccer, and other sports
at the local recreation center.
8. In what ways have factors from Microsystems outside the family, from the mesosystem,
and the exosystem possibly influenced your childs development at ages 6, 8 and 10? Find
four examples of such influences and make clear why you believe they should be
categorized at the particular level you chose within Bronfenbrenners model. For example,
you could choose two microsystems (e.g., classroom and peer group), one mesosystem
(parent-peer relations or parent teacher relations) and one exosystem (something affecting
the parent directly but the child only indirectly, through the parent. (4 points)
In Qui-Gon Jinn's kindergarten classroom Ive notice many aspects of math and science
the teachers work on (beyond just adding and subtracting), such as interpreting graphs and
classifying objects, as well as doing practical math in a classroom general store. Qui-Gon Jinn
seems more engaged than most kids in these activities. Over the years Qui-Gons teachers have
influenced his development immensely. He is excelling in Mathematics and Literacy, and I know
it is not all because of me. Learning in the classroom and the teachers is classified as a
microsystem level within Bronfenbrenners model because this is part of Qui-Gons immediate
environment. These teachers are some of the closest people to Qui-Gon other than his parents
because Qui-Gon spends a lot of his day with them. Another thing Ive noticed is that during
recess and at play times Qui-Gon and the other boys usually engage in physical activities in
fairly large groups and keep the girls out. While, Qui-Gon Jinn is able to play with both boys and
girls, he mostly plays with boys. His peers another microsystem in Qui-Gons life influence his
choices daily. They influence him on what he plays, and how he plays it. His peers are on a
microsystem level because they too are people in his immediate environment. Often I invite
children Qui-Gon Jinn likes over in groups for outings or parties and try to make sure they have a
good time. I try to get to know Qui-Gons friends and his friends parents, as best I can. The
better the relationship I have with them, the more Qui-Gon can enjoy his friends company. This
may influence his development of a health emotions, and happiness. My relationship with his
friends and their parents is at a mesosystem level for Qui-Gon. This is a mesosystem because two
of Qui-Gons Microsystems are connecting. His parent and his peers. I really like the
neighborhood where Qui-Gon Jinn goes to school and hope we can stay on through his sister's
time in school. I am very actively involved in the community and school system. I volunteer

often to help out at the school or in the community. This would be an exosystem for Qui-Gon. A
Parent liking the community and having a good relationship with the school has a good influence
on the child. Qui-Gon has more possibilities and gets to know more people through this
connection. This exosystem is referring to how I as a parent have a good connection to the school
and community. Qui-Gon Jinn does not experience this connection first hand but still benefits
from it.

EDUC 121-Child and Adolescent Development

MyVirtualChild Report
Name_______Victoria Waller________

Date______12/18/14_________

MyVirtualChild Report 4 Adolescence (12-18 years)

General guidelines: Answer the questions below for your report. Describe the childs behavior
and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should relate your
descriptions and explanations of the childs behavior to the concepts, theories and research
covered in class or in the book. Try to base your arguments on research studies and conclusions,
or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field. The questions are below with
point value following the questions.
1. Describe any physical or behavioral signs of incipient puberty, including changes in
physical appearance, behavior or emotions at ages 12 and 14 years.
(2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn has been testing boundaries lately. Recently he and his friends trespassed
on school property. Although the police officers that caught them did not punish him, we his
parents did. He has recently been arguing a lot more with me about clothes, bedtime, and chores.
Qui-Gon Jinns sense of humor is changing too. He has been pointing out inconsistencies
between things I have said and my behavior, especially toward him. Qui-Gon Jinn is growing
fast and consuming a lot of food, much of it junk food that he gets at school or after-school.
Since he is almost constantly hungry I buy healthier snacks to put in his backpack. I have also
noticed Qui-Gon Jinn is more interested in current events lately. He talks quite often about what
is "fair" and "not fair". I realize he is developing some moral principles. I also realize the choice
of notebook and the decoration of it with photos and sayings is part of his identity. Qui-Gon Jinn
is starting to notice girls more, but has not said anything openly about it. He may be embarrassed
by his new feelings toward them. All of these examples are signs of incipient puberty.
2. What activities and experiences at ages 12 and 14 has your teen been involved in that
might promote healthy behavioral practices, physical fitness and skill in sports? (2
points)
Qui-Gon Jinn talks quite often about what is "fair" and "not fair", and Ive realized he is
developing some moral principles. I encourage little moral discussions with Qui-Gon Jinn about
specific events, and ask his opinion. When possible, I tell him stories about a similar situation I
or someone I know experienced, and what happened as a consequence of their actions. I believe
these discussions can promote healthy behavioral practices. We also go on some nature hikes,
and get an inexpensive used microscope to look at pond water, leaves and other stuff the kids and
myself can collect, in an attempt to increase Qui-Gons interest in Biology and physical fitness.
Another example of an experience that might promote healthy behavioral practices is when
acting on a dare, Qui-Gon Jinn threw his old gym shoes over the school fence into the street. The
Vice-Principal saw it and gave Qui-Gon Jinn a Saturday referral. Learning from his actions is a

great way for him to learn healthy behavioral practices. Qui-Gon Jinn tried out for the high
school baseball team but didn't make it. He seemed disappointed for a week or so, but then
moved on to other things. I made sure to encourage him to set goals and keep trying to achieve
them. This will encourage him to keep at sports, and other activities he loves. He will succeed.
3. Describe one change in your childs thinking (e.g., changes in humor, abstract thinking,
or theory of mind) and discuss how this might be affecting his or her interactions with you
and your responses and his or her interactions with peers. Cite evidence from the course
that these kinds of changes occur in early adolescence.
(4 points)
The text states the between the age of two and five, children start to develop a theory of
mind, or an understanding of the relationship between mind and behavior. Over time this theory
of mind develops more, and beliefs enter into the equation. The child is seeing what others
believe and starts creating their own belief system. Qui-Gon Jinn has mentioned that he had a
long conversation with another student on a bus about all kinds of issues on which they
disagreed, such as religion and politics. Qui-Gon Jinn listened to the other person's point of view,
but when he came home, he wanted to tell me all about his own viewpoints. I believe that it is
healthy for Qui-Gon Jinn to explore alternative political and religious viewpoints, so together we
read editorials from opposing political factions, and I arrange for Qui-Gon Jinn to talk to some
friends and co-workers who follow different faiths. In doing this he is developing his own beliefs
and theory of mind.
4. How important have your teens relationships with peers been to his/her social
development, emotional well-being and school achievement from 14-18 years of age? (2
points)
Qui-Gon Jinns relationship with his peers has been pretty important to his social
development, emotional well-being and school achievement. Although he hides it very well, I
know that when Qui-Gon comes home in a bad mood he has had a bad day at school, or bad
disagreements with peers. His abstract thinking and theory of mind, developed from him having
conversations about different faiths and religions with his peers. He bases his style of clothing
from those styles his peers are wearing. If he wasnt so content with his friends and peers his
grades would reflect dis-content. He is in many clubs and organizations with his peers and these
relationships aid in his well-being and school achievement.
5. How has your teen adjusted at 14-18 years of age to typical adolescent issues such as
risk-taking, drugs, alcohol, and sexual interests, and how have you responded to your teen?
(2 points)
Although Qui-Gon Jinn has not taken an interest in drugs of alcohol he has gotten himself
into trouble by taking risks more than once. Acting on a dare, Qui-Gon Jinn threw his old gym
shoes over the school fence into the street. The Vice-Principal saw it and gave Qui-Gon Jinn a
Saturday referral. Although Qui-Gon begged me to lower the punishment to a warning, I let the
referral stand and told Qui-Gon Jinn about a similar experience I had at about the same age, and
some problems that occurred later for me as a result of this seemingly minor action. Qui-Gon

Jinn has also been showing an increased interest in men's magazines and sexually related
websites. He talks on the phone or e-mails his friends about the girls in his school. Recently I
found a porn video that had been downloaded on our computer. He just blushed and left the
room, mumbling that he would get rid of it, since then I have been asking his opinion of girls
from his class. We also talk openly about sexual issues that come up in the news or on TV (such
as birth control, STDs, gay marriages, etc.), even if Qui-Gon Jinn says, "You're grossing me
out!" This way he will know that I am willing to talk about sex. Qui-Gon Jinn has been dating
someone for 2 months. Qui-Gon Jinn says that he's in love, and Im nervous that Qui-Gon Jinn
may be rushing into a relationship before either of them are old enough, especially if it involves
sex. My husband had a talk with Qui-Gon Jinn and tried to convince him that he should wait
until they are more mature, and sure of the relationship to engage in sex. However, just in case,
we talked to Qui-Gon Jinn about safe sex, condoms, and birth control. We both hope that by
talking about it openly, Qui-Gon Jinn will feel he can come to one of us with any questions or
problems. We feel that responding in an open and non-judgmental but strict way will allow QuiGon to recognize his mistakes, while still feeling that he can talk to us about anything.
6. Use the 7th & 9th grade report cards and your own observations to summarize your
childs academic skills at this point. What specific activities might promote some of these
skills? What careers or courses of study might be best suited to your teens abilities and
interests? (2 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn got good marks for citizenship from most of the teachers in seventh and
ninth grades. He got A's in his honors Spanish class, English Honors and World Geography. QuiGon Jinn was able to take Algebra II in 9th grade. He has been taking mostly honors or advanced
placement classes, including his Biology Honors class. He received A's in his fine arts classes
and a comment that his work was very creative. He got a B in music and doesn't seem too
interested in taking music classes next year. His teachers keep recommending more Honors
math, and other after school clubs, such as science club. He is quite effective at time
management, and highly consistent in working independently in the classroom and on
homework. He has almost no problems completing assignments and turning them in on time.
With this being said, I believe his placement in these Honors classes and his active involvement
in science and math clubs, leads to his great academic skills. Qui-Gon Jinn would probably be
best suited for a math or science course of study. His options are wide open considering his great
grades in even subject. I know, however, that he enjoys science that most. I want his to keep
enjoying his studies, so I will encourage him to follow his favorite subjects and always be
exploring all him options.
7. As the program ends, what pathways does your child appear to be on in terms of
physical, cognitive, social, emotional and moral development? Choose three aspects of your
child to discuss. To what extent could you have predicted these pathways based on what
you knew of your child's earlier development? (4 points)
Qui-Gon Jinn is consistently growing in terms of physical, cognitive, social, emotional,
and moral development. After the transition to high school, Qui-Gon Jinn seemed energized by
all the possibilities, and has been hanging out with some new friends, and getting involved in a

couple of clubs. Sometimes one of his friends comes over to our house. I want to encourage
independence and self monitoring in Qui-Gon, so I let Qui-Gon Jinn know what would be my
priorities (health and schoolwork come first), but leave the choice of a schedule pretty much up
to him. I enforce a reasonable and flexible bed time and curfew on school nights and weekends.
He is always able to prioritize his school work, chores, health, and friends. His ability to now
juggle his schedule himself is a major social and cognitive development, over when he was little
I had to remind him to complete his chores before he played with his friends. A second way QuiGon is growing cognitively, emotionally, and morally, is when he has long conversations with
other students on a bus about all kinds of issues on which they disagreed, such as religion and
politics. Qui-Gon Jinn listened to the other person's point of view, but when he came home, he
wanted to tell me all about his own viewpoints. Since I believe that it is healthy for Qui-Gon Jinn
to explore alternative political and religious viewpoints, I read editorials from opposing political
factions, and arrange for Qui-Gon Jinn to talk to some friends and co-workers who follow
different faiths. This is a major growth in cognitive development, to be able to look a viewpoint
from multiple angles and be able to state your owe ideas. A third way Qui-Gon Jinn is
developing, is when he talks about what is "fair" and "not fair". I realize he is developing some
moral principles. His concerns are focused on very specific things people he knows say and do,
rather than incidents in the news or aspects of society. I try to get into little moral discussions
with Qui-Gon Jinn about these specific events, and ask his opinion. When possible, I tell him
stories about a similar situation I or someone I know experienced, and what happened as a
consequence of their actions. He has went from not doing something wrong because he does not
want to upset the coach or his parents, to having his own personal moral principles. By talking
openly with Qui-Gon about laws and instances when the line between right and wrong blur is a
great way to keep developing his sense of moral judgment.
8. Describe one specific way in which you think your parenting mattered for your childs
Development, based on evidence from the course regarding the contributions of parents to
child development. Describe one specific way in which your child developed that appeared
to be influenced by factors outside your control, such as genes, random environmental
events or the general influence of contemporary middle-class American culture. (4 points)
I have always been an authoritative parent. Based on evidence from our course book, this
means to combine a fair amount of control with love and support. I believe this parenting style is
what made Qui-Gon Jinn so good at balancing his schedule and keeping good grades. He has
mastered that art of hanging out with his friends, having leadership rules in a ton of school clubs,
getting As in his Honor classes, completing his chores, and still having family time. He is a
happy kid and we allow him to choose his path in study and in friends. Having an authoritative
parenting style, we allow him to make his own choices, but are there to remind him what is most
important, and to help him back up if he falters.
One way in which Qui-Gon developed that wasnt influenced by us his parents, but the
contemporary middle-class American Culture is his style. Qui-Gon Jinn is a lot more interested
in his appearance, and wants to wear certain clothes, shoes or hairstyles. From what I can tell, all
of Qui-Gon Jinn's friends wear the same styles. I allow some of these purchases as long as it fits
our budget. We talk about the latest trends in music, clothes, etc., and I smile every time Qui-Gon
Jinn affectionately calls me "a hopeless dork". I remember thinking the same thing about my

parents. His development of style stems directly from trends of his friends which in turn stem
from society, and his environment. It does not bother me though, because when I was his age I
wanted to clothes and hair styles of my friends as well.

MyVirtualChild Report Rubric

Name___________________________
4-Point
Question
Responses

2-Point
Question
Responses

Date_________________

4-3

2-1

Total

4x ____=____

2x____=____

0x___=0

____

3x____=_____
Responses
answer all parts
of the
question(s)
thoroughly with
supporting
evidence and/or
examples.
2

1x____=____
Responses
answer some
parts of the
question(s) and
provide partial
support.
1

Responses do not
adequately answer
or do not answer
the question(s)
with absence of
supporting
evidence or
examples.
0
____

2x____=___

1x____=___
Responses
answer all parts
of the
question(s).
Professionalism
3

1x____=___
Responses
answer some
parts of the
question(s).
2

0x___=0
Responses do not
adequately answer
or do not answer
the question(s).
1
_____

No spelling,
grammar, and
punctuation
errors.

A few spelling,
grammar, and
punctuation
errors.

Many spelling,
grammar, and
punctuation errors
that detract from
the message.

Late Submission -2 pts.

Total_____/25