Child Observation

This study was carried out using naturalistic observation techniques that involve the observation of human behavior in a more natural environment and setting. The main objective of this study was to observe children’s interactions within their natural settings. For this assignment, I observed a child who had accompanied their parent in the supermarket. The child fitted the description of a five to six-year-old given the physique they had. The setting for the observation was perfect as the child had no idea that they were being observed. I got to learn of the child’s name after hearing the parent addressing her by her name. The little girl’s name was Jane.  Jane was shy, and she walked closely by her mother’s side. Unlike most children of her age, Jane was reluctant to wander off in the store, and she clung by her mother’s hand throughout the whole time.

Additionally, unlike most children her age, Jane was around a hundred centimeters tall and quite slender. She had big dull eyes, and a beautiful long mane on her head. Observation of the child was done for almost 30 minutes, and various conclusions made concerning her development based on the behavior he exhibited. Jane was upset or fussy during this observation. This was evident in the emotion she had plastered on her face, posture, and dull eyes. At one point, the child wanted to pick a toy from one of the shelves, but instead of asking for it, she cried. This shows that Jane had a hard time processing her emotions and expressing herself in terms of what she wants. According to the CDC guidelines on children’s development, Jane had delays in her emotional advancement. An ordinary six-year-old can express their emotions and talk about what they feel (CDC, 2020). Jane also lacked the aspect of independence as she clung by her mother’s hand throughout the whole duration without wanting to wander off like other children her age.

Jane’s lack of independence was also evident in how she insisted on having her mother carry her at one point during the observation. The little girl did not want to have it any other way, which made her cry in protest. Her communication skills were not as advanced as that of a typical child within the age group. However, poor communication in children could be attributed to poor processing of the environment, the child’s process of understanding, and analysis of the child’s events and the outcomes of their actions (Kamtini et al., 2019). However, this could be corrected by using interactive methods of learning that could improve Jane’s communication skills (Kamtini et al., 2019). The observation was finally completed once the child and the mother left the store, and the conclusive results interpreted.

Jane was presumed to be between five to six years, as evident by her features. She was relatively short in comparison to other children within her age group. The child appeared sad and fussy, as evident by how she interacted with the mother and the expression plastered on her face. Jane was also not as independent as other children within her group. The child also had poor communication skills as she was unable to communicate what she wanted to her parent. Nonetheless, it is unfair to base a child’s character based on a single instance of interaction as she may just have had a bad day like any other human being.

References

CDC. (2020, March 6). Middle Childhood (6-8 years of age). Retrieved July 2, 2020, from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle.html

Kamtini, K., Ray, D., & Tanjung, S. H. (2019). Picture Based Problem Learning in Improving Children’s Communication Skills. Atlantic Press, 111-112.