Personal Essay on the Effects of Childhood on Human Development and Growth

Personal Essay on the Effects of Childhood on Human Development and Growth

Introduction

The phrase that “early childhood is the key to a productive and full life of a child and the progress of a nation” is very true. I can term my early childhood as a critical stage which formed the foundation for my learning, well-being, and future. I was born and raised in Houston city in Texas, a city of diverse culture. I am a first born and only daughter in a family of three kids. We were brought up in a Christian family setting of mother and father. 

However, I spent most of my time with my grandmother, a staunch catholic who lived a few blocks from our home. Through this, I have learnt to value family, religion and culture which till now gives me my identity. My development made me understand that firstborns are conscientious, confident and responsible, and they use their parent’s attitude and beliefs as a mirror all their lives. My family owned a restaurant in the city which was our family business. My father was the chef and my mother the managing director. They spent a lot of their time in the business leaving me to watch over my siblings when were not at school. 

We did not have a nanny throughout our growing as my grandmother was taking care of us. I learnt to be a leader at a tender age as I had authority over my younger siblings. At the age of thirteen I was like a backup mother to them and I became a worrier and a perfectionist. In all my phases in life, my parents always had higher expectations in me, as according to what grandmother used to say, I was to set standards for the other siblings. 

I attended pre-school early due to the working conditions of my parents and because we had no nanny. The burden was too much for my grandmother and I was thus set to school. During that time, I explored another life without my family. One of the fondest memories is a time during my pre-school when I hid my father’s recipe and cutleries and took them to my teacher and classmates. My father had a horrible day and the best part of the memory is the look I received from everyone after they discovered my cunningness. To date, everyone in the family laughs at the mention of the event.

Being a firstborn continues in adulthood and has molded me into being a responsible lady. I still worry about my friends, family, and my brothers. Birth order truly affects the way a child turns out in life. For example my youngest brother who is thirteen at the moment is still indulged as the family’s baby. He is rebellious, impulsive and less responsible as compared to me at that age. Girls in my extended family are also trained to be responsible and prepared to be future mothers. Irrespective of the Western culture, having spent time with my granny, I have been taught chores like cleaning and cooking. I love cooking, probably due to the fact that I am the daughter of a chef.

I used to love outdoor games and cartoons. One of my favorite toys was Barbie doll house where I stored my Barbie doll. It was a gift on my 5^th birthday from my father. I have many memories during my growth and the most memorable moments in my life was a time at age six where I made my younger brothers a sandwich using lettuce which was stored in the fridge. I was so excited to make it only that when my father found them eating he said I gave them cabbage sandwich. However, in my thinking this was too good to be true.

As long as my memory recalls, I love eating and testing new recipes but my favorite meal is Spaghetti Carbonara especially due to the white flecks of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. This cuisine is still my favorite and any time am having it my childhood memories erupts. At the age of 10, something stroked our family. My mother was ill and depressed after her doctor announced that she had cancer cells in her left breast. This event affected every person due to the atmosphere in the house especially during her surgery. However, she woke up as a victor with no more strains of the cell after chemotherapy. 

Conclusion

It is true that the future of this nation and that of today’s children depends on how children are brought up in their early years. Our growth is a mirror of the childhood life we had. Personality, attitudes, culture, and religion are all molded during growth and development. Therefore childhood can be termed as the most influential phase in life which produces the values and morals later in life. Family acts as the key to unlocking childhood and turning it to adulthood. I am who I am due to what was impacted on me from my parents as I was growing up.