2.     Nature and Quality of Attachment- The parents’ role in the development of the infant’s attachment style. An example of this is when estrogen levels in young women of childbearing age make them responsive to cuteness in infants. Mothers also contribute to attachment styles by being sensitive to their baby’s signals and responding to their needs.

3.     Secure base- A starting point from which infants can venture forth to explore the world and a haven of safety to which he or she can return in times of danger or stress. An example of this is when parents go to a child’s basketball game and comforts the child even if their team loses. The parent can support the child by telling them how great of a job they did and remind them that they are still amazing regardless of the outcome of their games. This will make the child feel safe and encourage them to keep playing future games.

2.     Emotional Regulation- The managing, monitoring, evaluating, and modifying of emotional reactions to reduce the intensity and duration of emotional arousal. This allows children to feel better during intense emotions and feelings. It also helps others around the child to respond positively. An example of this is when a child can distract themselves with play if they are afraid of something.

3.     Childhood Depression- A mood disorder often manifested in despondent mood and loss of interest in familiar activities but possibly expressed as irritability and crankiness and difficulty concentrating or focusing on tasks. An example of this is when a child begins having difficulty concentrating and focusing on class.

2.     Identity- The definition of oneself as a discrete, separate entity. A person can ask themselves “Who am I?” or “What will I become?” in terms of religious views, political values, gender preference, and occupational aspirations. An example of identity is ethnic identity, which recognizes someone of being of a member of a particular race or ethnic group.

3.     Stereotype- A general label applied to individuals based solely on their membership in a racial, ethnic, or religious group, without appreciation that individuals within the group vary. Children already begin showing ethnic and racial stereotypes in preschool. An example of a stereotype is a child believing that their African American peer is a fast runner.

2.     I believe that my parents played a large role in how my attachment style formed. Growing up in an abusive household, I wasn’t allowed to form opinions or speak about my feelings. Because of this, it felt like I couldn’t rely on my parents for comfort or support. This made it difficult to form friendships and relationships as a child because I felt that I would never be able to rely on them as well.

3.     Because my “secure base” as a child was abusive, I was extremely scared of taking risks or getting out of my comfort zone. I knew that if I failed at something, I would not have the support to recover from it. As I grew older, I found my “secure base” within my friendships. My loving and supportive friendships gave me the confidence to believe in myself and to explore the world. Whether or not I would succeed, I knew that I had people that would be proud of me. The friendships I was lucky enough to form has really helped me find the confidence to become the person I’ve always wanted to be.

2.     Just a few years ago, I struggled regulating my emotions, such as anger and sadness. It was difficult for me to express these feelings or even feel them. When I was angry or sad it felt like I couldn’t control my reckless behavior. I turned to alcohol to numb my feelings, which made bury those feelings. I am currently 5 months sober, and I feel like I have completely changed as a person. Without alcohol it has forced me to sit and face my feelings and emotions. I’ve learned to feel emotions such as anger or sadness but to not stay in them. I realize that these emotions are normal and that it’s okay to be upset. Sitting with these feelings has helped me process them and taught me to move on from them.

3.     As a child, I felt that I could have been depressed. There were periods of times where I lacked the motivation to focus on school. Feeling hopelessness at home translated to school, which changed the way I viewed myself as a student. I thought there was no point doing well in school because I was constantly told that I was never good enough. As an adult, I can’t say that I feel the same way but there are times that I feel similar. There are days where I feel sad and unmotivated to do anything. In another part of the reflection, I talked about how creating loving friendships really impacted my life. The times where I feel depressed, I’ve learned to reach out to my friends. Talking to my friends makes me realize that these periods in my life are not permanent and that I’m strong enough to overcome it. Instead of being hard on myself for being depressed and unmotivated, I am working on being gentle and understanding to myself. I realize that it’s okay to have bad days and to rest instead.

2.     My identity has also changed while building my self-esteem. I have a much better understanding of who I am and who I want to be. I see myself as a person that is working towards their goals and dreams of becoming a child life specialist. Having this dream motivates me to work harder and to stay on track. It took a couple of changes in majors to figure this out but I’m happy I did. I realize that finding yourself involves trial and error, understanding that it is not a linear process.

3.     Unfortunately, I witness stereotyping on social media very often and I can see the harmful effects it has. It has always been important for me to not stereotype others because not one individual is the same. Treating people with respect and kindness is something that I will always do and something that I will teach to my future children. I believe children learn this behavior not only from peers, but most importantly, their caregivers.