Family and Children

1. I feel that rocking and singing a baby to sleep is very beneficial to the child. I believe that it creates a sense of trust and security that the infant will feel toward their caregiver. The studies on this activity seem to show that babies who are given this attention are able to make the transition to sleep easier by being more calm and relaxed. On the other hand, I do also think that this rocking and singing every night could also lead to the child developing a dependence on their parent. The child will eventually turn this into a habit, and will not be able to go to bed without the aid of the parent or caregiver.

American parents who simply put their children to bed and let them “cry themselves to sleep” are developing a foundation of independence for their child, but I think that they are also projecting a sense of abandonment. I believe that the children who are put into their cribs and left to cry until they fall asleep will feel that the parent does not care enough to comfort them in their times of stress and anxiety. This could carry on into toddlerhood or adolescence, and the child could continually feel that their parent will just walk away and let the child work it out for themselves.

I think that there are positives and negatives to both practices. I feel that in either situation, the outcome of either dependence or abandonment can be avoided by providing love and attention at times other than bedtime. By allowing the child to work out a situation for themselves, it can teach the child how to handle a stressful situation on their own, without the parent their walking them through it.

2. If a parent were to develop an activity for their toddler to promote cognitive development by drawing on the views of Piaget, I believe that the parent would have to provide an environment full of stimulation. This may include many colorful blocks and shapes, different animals, and anything that can be found in the environment that would peak the...