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The first stage of Erikson's Stages of Development is the most important one. It is the foundation of how we trust. During this stage, the child is reliant on adult caregivers for all needed aspects of survival, such as nourishment, affection, comfort, security, and support. If parents falter in giving sufficient care and affection to the baby they may develop a sense of distrust and a lack of dependence on the adults in their environment.

I learned to trust because of my mom. I was about 3 months old and would just cry and cry. For a while, she had no idea what was causing it. My mom would spend hours trying to get me to sleep. She resorted to driving me around since it was one of the few ways to get me to fall asleep. We know now it was because I had an awful case of cradle cap. She tried soothing me even though she had no idea what was wrong with me.

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The second stage of development helps us develop our sense of independence from our parents. They start undertaking basic tasks by themselves and making simple choices based on their preferences. Enabling children to make their own decisions and exert control can assist parents and caregivers in fostering a sense of autonomy.

I feel as though I was chalked full of figuring out how to do stuff on my own. It drove my mom mad really. I was practically the staple child of “No! I wanna do it myself!” and then proceeded to make a mess. My mom would step in when it was necessary, like if I could have gotten hurt or hurt someone else. I remember my mom saying it took a long time for me to be completely potty trained. This was because I didn’t want to stop doing the thing I was doing, but quickly I learned that I did not want to pee myself all the time. With this being said, I believe I learned autonomy.

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The preschool years mark the third stage of psychosocial development. During this phase, children start asserting their influence over the world by guiding play and engaging in various social interactions with their peers. While engaging with other peers children can learn to be a leader.

When I first started school, I attempted to help another student. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that very well. He had left his glasses on the lunch table and I had accidentally thrown them away when I was taking my tray up during lunch. Later I got yelled at by the teacher and principal even though I was trying to help get his glasses back to him. This makes me believe that rather than learning to be a leader with initiative, I have learned guilt.

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The fourth stage of psychosocial development happens in the early school years, typically spanning from ages 5 to 11. Children will develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities through their social interactions with others.

Getting A’s on my English and spelling assignments was huge for me back then. Being able to bring home that A on something as simple as spelling made me feel as though I could do anything. Especially when I did come home with those grades, my parents were right there celebrating with me.

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The fifth stage of psychosocial development unfolds during the frequently rocky teenage years. This phase is vital in shaping a sense of personal identity, a factor that will impact one's behavior and development throughout their life. Adolescents foster a sense of self and individual identity. Success in this endeavor results in the ability to remain authentic, while failure can lead to role confusion and a brittle self-concept.

This is when my little sister’s dad and our mother broke it off. He was a father to me up until about 12 years old. This caused me a lot of problems in the following years. I still struggle to some degree with my self-esteem. I’ve found it difficult to identify who and what I want to be.  I find myself looking back at how that time affected me and the people around me as well. Confusion properly defines this stage for me.

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Young adults, about the time when people are going into college, establish intimate and affectionate connections with others. Reaching success in this aspect contributes to the development of strong relationships, while failure can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. This stage encompasses the early adulthood phase when individuals are navigating and exploring personal and interpersonal relationships.

I’ve been in a very important relationship with my current partner for almost 4 years now. I’ve learned a lot about taking other people's ideas and needs into consideration. I never really feel alone or isolated. Not only in just a romantic partner, have I learned these things, but also with my best friend have I learned this. She and I have been friends for almost 6 years now. I’m still a little early in this stage, but even still I have learned intimacy.

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Adults usually generate or foster legacies, often through parenthood or by establishing positive changes that help others. Success in these endeavors breeds feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure may result in a false connection to the world.

I have not made it to this point yet, as I am 19 years old. So, I believe with how I have my life set up right now, that I will go through this stage with generativity. I want to have children and finish college to become a teacher. I want the children I do end up having to have a good, if not better, life than what I did. I feel that I will do well in this stage of my life.

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The end goal of these psychosocial stages unfolds in this stage. In older ages, there is an emphasis on introspection of one's life. During this final phase of development, individuals reflect on the events of their lives, determining whether they find fulfillment in the way they lived or if they harbor regrets about missed opportunities and choices they had made.

This one is even further away from where I am now, but based on the last two stages, I hope I am filled with integrity. I want to believe that I would be fulfilled in how I lived and what I accomplished.