Life Stage Summary, Essay Example

The period of infancy, lasting from birth to about two years of age, is characterized by profound developmental changes. The infant, though initially completely helpless, undergoes precipitous development with respect to its sensorimotor abilities (Newman & Newman, 2012, 148-154). Thus, while the newborn infant is unable to move from the fetal position, as it develops it acquires the ability to hold its head up, then to roll, then to sit, and so on, until it is capable of walking unaided (150). The ability to manipulate objects voluntarily is another key developmental milestone, as is the acquisition of object permanence (150-156). The psychosocial crisis, of course, is trust versus mistrust (178-179). This crisis stems from three fundamental sources: wary infants, “lack of confidence in the caregiver, and doubt in one’s own lovableness” (179). Inexperience, mistakes, and outright neglect on the part of caregivers can all contribute to these (179). Mutuality, of course, is the means by which a resolution can be affected: through mutuality, the infant bonds with the caregiver in a reciprocal relationship (180). Understanding this will be of the most foundational importance for me in my own field of marriage and family counseling, since it will enable me to help parents to be more responsive to, and understanding of, their infants.

Toddlerhood is a time of increased independence, bolstered by the emergent abilities of the small child (Kyle, 2008, p. 108). Toddlers are better able to manipulate objects in the world about them, and their thinking is more advanced: they better understand causation, even if they still lack many elements of adult-level logic. Moreover, toddlers have language, and a rich symbolic repertoire (p. 108). But this also sets the stage for the crisis of autonomy versus shame and doubt (Newman & Newman, 2012, p. 223). By helping parents to understand the needs of their offspring for autonomy and a sense of mastery, I will be able to help facilitate a resolution of this crisis (p. 223).

References  

Kyle, T. (2008). Essentials of pediatric nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach (11^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.