Starting the Virtual Life Simulation, I gave birth to a male baby named Leo. Prior to the simulation, I completed a questionnaire about my temperament, emotional wellbeing, as well as my educational strengths and weaknesses. Leo inherited my timid shyness, slow-to-warm up temperament, rapid mood swings, and poor mathematical skills. Consequently, I used an authoritative parenting style which promotes independence but under guidance. My goal was to help Leo achieve his individualistic goals and mitigate negative stresses implemented from genetics and the environment. Upon completing the simulation, I concluded that genetics serve as the building blocks that make up an individual while the environment inevitably molds and shapes these units.
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Beginning at age 2, Leo’s slow-to-warm up temperament became apparent due to genetics and as a consequence of me shielding him from social interactions that made him uncomfortable. Growing up, he had adverse reactions towards new social situations and adapted slowly. To increase his comfort zone, my partner and I encouraged him to participate and explore enterprises that he was passionate about such as music, literature, and nature. Leo became heavily involved in boy scouts, a theater club, chorus, and basketball in high school. Leo was always pursuing things that he deeply enjoyed until he had an occurrence of depression after our family moved when he was 16 years old. The signs include fluctuating sleeping cycles, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, self-destructive actions, fatigue, and a lack of concentration (Reynolds, 1994). Leo started to dedicate his time with friends who smoked, skipped class, and made poor decisions academically. His sleeping cycle was imbalanced and he started to lash out his emotions onto his family by shutting himself out into his room as well as starting arguments easily. Authoritatively, my partner and I advocated the idea of being a part of a sports team so that he could release his emotions in …show more content…
As the child ages, this attachment loses its intensity as an individual becomes more independent and autonomous (Feldman, 2011). This is supported by reflecting on many events in Leo’s childhood where he continuously asked to spend time alone with his friends such as hiking trips, spending the night, and other activities that didn’t involve me watching over him around his pubescent years. Despite his naturally growing independence later in life, Leo was a securely attached child. Secure attachment can be defined as a child who is distressed when a primary caretaker is absent, but has the ability to regain composure when the parent is present (Feldman, 2011). Throughout the simulation, I became ill frequently and had to go to the hospital various times. Leo was always worried when I was gone because my presence gave him comfort. When I returned, he was immediately appeased. In Bowlby’s theory, he inferred that a mother is a “home base” and that a child is more attached towards them than a father in most cases (Feldman, 2011). Leo always communicated with me throughout his life rather than his dad. As his mother, we shared interactional synchrony, which is when caregivers can appropriately help and assess their child’s emotional state with empathy (Feldman, 2011). Leo and I had a close relationship when it came to discussing his personal problems since he could always
Beginning at age 2, Leo’s slow-to-warm up temperament became apparent due to genetics and as a consequence of me shielding him from social interactions that made him uncomfortable. Growing up, he had adverse reactions towards new social situations and adapted slowly. To increase his comfort zone, my partner and I encouraged him to participate and explore enterprises that he was passionate about such as music, literature, and nature. Leo became heavily involved in boy scouts, a theater club, chorus, and basketball in high school. Leo was always pursuing things that he deeply enjoyed until he had an occurrence of depression after our family moved when he was 16 years old. The signs include fluctuating sleeping cycles, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, self-destructive actions, fatigue, and a lack of concentration (Reynolds, 1994). Leo started to dedicate his time with friends who smoked, skipped class, and made poor decisions academically. His sleeping cycle was imbalanced and he started to lash out his emotions onto his family by shutting himself out into his room as well as starting arguments easily. Authoritatively, my partner and I advocated the idea of being a part of a sports team so that he could release his emotions in …show more content…
As the child ages, this attachment loses its intensity as an individual becomes more independent and autonomous (Feldman, 2011). This is supported by reflecting on many events in Leo’s childhood where he continuously asked to spend time alone with his friends such as hiking trips, spending the night, and other activities that didn’t involve me watching over him around his pubescent years. Despite his naturally growing independence later in life, Leo was a securely attached child. Secure attachment can be defined as a child who is distressed when a primary caretaker is absent, but has the ability to regain composure when the parent is present (Feldman, 2011). Throughout the simulation, I became ill frequently and had to go to the hospital various times. Leo was always worried when I was gone because my presence gave him comfort. When I returned, he was immediately appeased. In Bowlby’s theory, he inferred that a mother is a “home base” and that a child is more attached towards them than a father in most cases (Feldman, 2011). Leo always communicated with me throughout his life rather than his dad. As his mother, we shared interactional synchrony, which is when caregivers can appropriately help and assess their child’s emotional state with empathy (Feldman, 2011). Leo and I had a close relationship when it came to discussing his personal problems since he could always