Paper on Parenting Insights: Strategies, Bonds, and Development - A Personal Journey and Reflection

Alexie's development and my parental styles immediately commenced after I missed a period and tested positive for pregnancy. For instance, I began exercising moderately two months into the pregnancy as a strategy to feel better following the morning sicknesses, regulate weight gain, prepare to bear more weight, and get in shape for childbirth. Besides, I took a well-rounded diet, including prenatal vitamins, to promote the development of the baby's teeth and bones and reduce the risks of some defects (Mayo Clinic Staff n.p). Alexie's delivery went according to plan, and I only breastfed her to ensure she received all the necessary nutrients for healthy development and protection against diseases. Through my parental techniques, Alexie grew loving and interacting freely with the surrounding environment, including people, toys, and pets. As a result, she became an active child in physical games, which I continued to support by baby-proofing the entire house. Alexie's major weakness is emotions, as she would always cry when presented with uncomfortable situations or people.

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Bonding between Alexie and me started while she was an infant and lasted throughout her life. The first attachment instances were natural and hormonal as I would continuously lactate when I hear her crying. I decided to breastfeed her to ensure that the connection is maintained and increased through regular intimate interactions (Krol and Grossmann 982). Besides being the only toy in her childhood, I made sure that we played together, made faces, and danced around to keep her entertained and closer to me. Following these encounters, Alexie tends to show more preference for me, especially when distressed, than any other person. Before her preschool, Alexa was closer to my partner and me and often felt comfortable trying out new things only when I was around her. The bond is so strong that she becomes more hesitant to part with me, especially at the daycare where she tries to leave with me.

I decided on nurturing and parenting techniques for Alexie based on readings, the parental style I was raised by, personal knowledge, and prevailing circumstances. For instance, I decided to breastfeed Alexie based on intimate knowledge that the technique helps create a better bond between a mother and an infant. It is because breastfeeding allows me to touch her more, become more responsive to her needs, and spend more time in mutual gaze during feedings than bottle-feeding (Krol and Grossmann 982). Furthermore, the approach ensures that the baby can access healthy food options. Elsewhere, my mother's e-parenting method also inspired and influenced my decision on the appropriate style I will employ on Alexie. Since my mother was authoritative, I decided to be the exact opposite and allow Alexie to enjoy her autonomy.

With modern technologies, I also made critical decisions with the help provided by various social media platforms and parenting websites. For example, before Alexie's birth, I consulted different online medical websites for assistance and recommendations to deal with morning sickness. The sites recommended several techniques, including eating five meals, avoiding unpleasant smells, eating bland foods, and putting a cold compress on the head and the neck's back. They helped me settle on participating in moderate physical exercises such as walking, yoga, and swimming. I learned that the strategy is linked to reduced morning sickness, stress and anxiety, constipation, fatigue, and more painless childbirth (Huizen n.p).

My parental techniques impacted Alexie's childhood development in various ways. For instance, I often encouraged her to point toys out of reach to get them for her and motivated her to overcome barriers. The style enhanced cognitive advances and helped Alexie plan ahead and accomplish her set objectives during her childhood and later life. Besides, by allowing Alexie to play freely in a safe environment, I encouraged her to become independent and explore new things by herself. The decision to only breastfeed her allows Alexie to access healthy nutritional contents rich in vitamins and minerals that would facilitate the development of strong bones and teeth, and later cognitive skills such as improved memory retention, better language skills, and intelligence (Krol and Grossmann 977). Besides, the decision not to apply corporal punishment on Alexie at two years old is also impactful in her development. Maguire-Jack et al. (2013) reported that early childhood spanking is associated with developing aggressive or violent behaviors in the future. The availability of chronic stressors can also affect her brain processes and neurofunction (2).

After learning about the attachment theories, I would apply some of them to improve further the bond between Alexie and me throughout our lives. For instance, through Dollard's and Miller's learning/behaviorist theory of attachment, I learned that certain behaviors such as crying and smiling by children indicate their desire to crave attention. They could do it repeatedly to get what they want (McLeod n.p). Therefore, instead of ignoring or mistaking the gestures' meaning, I would pay close attention t to understanding the child's needs. Bowlby suggested that a child would initially form an attachment with one person to act as a secure base for the world's exploration (McLeod n.p). The idea helped me understand why Alexie had problems interacting with other members of the extended family and individuals at the daycare when she was less than two years old. Therefore, with this knowledge, I would be less worried about the behavior and drop my efforts towards forcing her to develop an early connection with others. As indicated by Bowlby, the primary attachment is a prototype for all future relationships, and interrupting it can cause adverse and long-lasting effects.

The course has enabled me to learn several ideas that I will remember and apply in the future. First, I learned about the specific exercises during pregnancy, such as walking and yoga, and their significance in reducing morning sickness and more painless childbirth (Huizen n.p). Secondly, I will also remember and the breastfeeding method and its importance to a child's healthy development, protection against infections, improved cognitive skills, and better mother-child bonding (Krol and Grossmann 977). Regarding bonding, it is also worth remembering the various attachment theories, such as learning/behaviorist theory, which suggest that attachment is a set of learned behaviors primarily based on food provision (McLeod n.p).

I will continue using the principles and ideas proposed by various theories and philosophers in making critical parental choices. For instance, Ainsworth's approach that emphasizes the need for physical support has proven to be useful for me as it helps me understand why I must touch, hold, carry, co-sleep, and comfort an infant most of the time a better bond. Similarly, I will continue applying Piaget's idea that children learn through hands-on experience and their failures and successes. Through his concept, I would allow the child to set personal objectives and put in efforts to accomplish the goals. Lastly, I will continue using Vygotsky's sociocultural theory based on the idea that children learn through their daily interaction with their environment, especially people. For instance, assisting children to complete tasks they are having difficulties finishing to realize and reach their full potential.

Works Cited

Huizen, Jennifer. "First Trimester Exercises: Which Workouts Are Safe?" Www.Medicalnewstoday.com, 30 May 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321983. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

Krol, Kathleen M., and Tobias Grossmann. “Psychological Effects of Breastfeeding on Children and Mothers.” Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz, vol. 61, no. 8, 22 June 2018, pp. 977–985, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6096620/#CR13, 10.1007/s00103-018-2769-0.

Maguire-Jack, Kathryn, et al. "Spanking and Child Development During the First 5 Years of Life." Child Development, vol. 83, no. 6, 3 Aug. 2013, pp. 1960–1977, 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01820.x.

Mayo Clinic Staff. "Prenatal Vitamins: Why They Matter, How to Choose." Mayo Clinic, 1 May 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-vitamins/art-20046945.

Mcleod, Saul. "Attachment Theory." Simplypsychology.org, Simply Psychology, 5 Feb. 2017, www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html.