Psychology

1. Psychology “Parenting is the number one influence on a child’s success or failure in life.” Jasmine Gonzalez

2. What is Nurture? • Heredity & Environment • Nurture: where you’re born, surroundings/environment, etc • How you were raised, brought up • Manners, responsibilities, religion, • The things children experience as they grow up affects who they are. “The route through childhood is shaped by many forces, and it differs for each of us. Our biological inheritance, the temperament with which we are born, the care we receive, our family relationships, the place where we grow up, the schools we attend, the culture in which we participate, and the historical period in which we live--all these affect the paths we take through childhood and condition the remainder of our lives.”

3. Nurture • I believe that nurture is more important than nature. Yes, our genetics shape who we are, but our experiences as we grow up are what make us who we are. For example, we aren’t born “strong” we become strong individuals as we overcome life struggles. • Your environment also effects how you talk, behave and interact with others. This can be negatively or positively, it all depends on how you react to your surroundings.

4. Why is it so important? • Your environment shapes who you are & how you act • The way you are raised effects how you behave and interact with others & the world • Every one needs to be loved and wants to feel loved, this is where nurture comes in. Your parents should show you love, affection & responsibility, etc. • If a child does not grow up in a loving home & has a rough childhood that plays a huge role on how they behave as a teen and an adult.

5. Children react to their environment in different ways, and reactions can vary depending on the child's gender and age. • Children exposed to family violence are more likely to develop social, emotional, psychological and or behavioral problems than those who are not. • Recent research indicates that children who witness domestic violence show more anxiety, low self esteem, depression, anger and temperament problems than children who do not witness violence in the home. • The trauma they experience can show up in emotional, behavioral, social and physical disturbances that effect their development and can continue into adulthood.

6. The Effects That Bad Environments Have on Children… Lack of personal power Conflicting loyalties Fear of abandonment Depression Anxiety Hostility Juvenile delinquency School problems • Worthlessness • Emotional abuse usually consists of being told or made to feel that they cannot do anything right, they are stupid, ugly, or not good enough for anything. As children, they take the things said by adults as something that is undeniably true and correct. • Adults are people they look up to for guidance and teaching, if that adult is telling them those types of things, a child will not question the truth or accuracy of them.

7. Oxana Malaya Oxana Malaya is a young girl who for most of her childhood was raised by dogs! Her drug-addicted parents did not take care of her. When she was first discovered she growled, barked, walked on all fours & even ate like a dog! This shows that nurture is more important. Genetically she is a human being, but growing up with dogs she practically became a dog.

8. Tyler Perry • Tyler Perry is a well-known actor, director & writer. He is living the good life. However, his life wasn’t always this good. He grew up in an abusive home, was molested and even tried to commit suicide. This impacted him greatly. • He bettered his life due to all the horrible experiences he went through. • “Rags to riches”

9. Genie“The Wild Child” • Genie was severely beaten by her father growing up. • She spent most of her life tied down to a potty chair. Genie was deprived. She was not shown love, but this didn’t make her a bitter person. She learned how to talk, but suffered from grammar problems. She was taught how to use the toilet and how to dress herself. Genie is a feral child. She was isolated from the rest of the world for 13 years, until she was discovered! This shows that nurture is very important. She lived in a very abusive & disturbed home, but since she was saved and was shown how to talk & act she was able to recover.

10. Bibliography • http://www.acadv.org/children.html • http://dvservices.tripod.com/id11.html • http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/genie.htm