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Hayden is Born!!
Hayden is born and is a perfectly healthy baby! We are so excited to bring her home! -
We love playing!!
Hayden is a very active baby and when she is awake she is ready to go for the day! She is sleeping fairly well at night! So we are very excited about that! But she is also having trouble with some foods and sometimes gets fussy because her tummy hurts! We are trying to find things that do not upset her stomach. This could be caused by an allergy as well. -
Hayden is Crawling!
Hayden is crawling! We are happy but also nervous! We will be baby proofing the house very soon!! Her coordination is very impressive to us parents! -
Pulling herself up (8 months)
Hayden has learned to pull herself up using stable objects such as the couch or a coffee table. This is an example of many of the Motor Development Milestones, and also shows the Dynamic Systems Theory. Dynamic sytems deals with the motor behaviors and coordination of a child. This means Hayden is using both her developing muscles and her brain. -
Stranger Anxiety (8 months)
Hayden has been exibiting stranger anxiety. She begins to cry when an unfamiliar face holds her or even tries to interact with her. This is very common for infants and much expected at her age. Most babies start to show stranger anxiety by the end of the first years. -
Object Permanance (12 months)
Hayden has shown object permanence when we play games. Hayden is beginning to realize her toys or parents do not really disappear when she cannot see them! She no longer begins to cry when one of her toys is hidden in another room, or even under a blanket. -
Self Awareness (18 months)
Hayden is showing early symptoms of Erikson's initiative-versus-guilt stage. Hayden has been saying "me" very often when I am performing an action, and is wanting to do everything herself and be independent. This could also be a form of wanting to model actions from those around her as well. -
Securely Attached (19 months)
Hayden is still not very comfortable around strangers and this thus results in her being securely attached. Whenever I leave Hayden's sight, or the room for extended periods of time, she become very upset, and instantly reaches for me when I return. -
2 YEARS OLD!
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Telegraphic Speech (2 years)
Hayden has really trying to talk and express herself lately. At this age her telegraphic speech has been heard and seen very often. I have really been trying to talk to Hayden and make sure her speech and language skills are developed. Telegraphic speech is one of the beginning steps for all toddlers when speaking. She leaves out words that are not important in her sentences. -
Goal Directed Behavior
Recently, Hayden has been showing goal directed behavior. Goal directed behavior is part of Piaget's substage 4: Coordination of Secondary Circular Reactions. At this time combine several schemes use coordinated to generate a single act to solve a problem. Hayden has shown goal-directed behavior by performing small "experiements". When outside, she will make a mound of dirt and then pour water on top to see the results. -
Social Referencing (2 years)
In new places or situations Hayden looks to her parents to see their reactions and know how she should react. This is an example of social referencing. When meeting new people and Hayden becomes uneasy, we try to keep Hayden happy by smiling at her and showing her that everything is okay and she is not in danger. -
Potty Trained! (2 years)
Over time the age for potty training has gone up, so having Hayden potty trained by 2 years may be slightly early for her to be potty trained, but this will also help us as parents. Hayden has shown the signs that she is ready such as: discomfort with soiled diapers... and the desire to wear underwear. -
Autobiographical Memory (2 years)
Hayden has been exibiting autobiographical memory recently. She will recall the animals seen at the zoo different times, or events that took place when at the park. Two years may be a little early for this autobiographical memory, however, as time goes on, Hayden will be able to recall more and more memories. -
3 YEARS OLD!!
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Hayden's Personality at 3 years old
At 3 years old, Hayden's personality is generally calm. A personality is characteristcs that differentiate one person from another. Rarely she will get upset, but is very easy to calm down again. I also have seen signs of empathy in Hayden. Right now Hayden is overcontrolled. She is very cooporative with her parents and follows the rules, but when it comes to social situations she tends to cling to her parents and becomes very shy. -
Imaginary Friend! (3 years)
Hayden has an imaginary friend now. She joins us at dinner and according to Hayden is also sometimes responsible for messes made around the house! Imagine that... -
4 YEARS OLD!
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Such a Great Memory! (4 years)
Hayden is so talkative now! She loves telling stories about her trips to the museums and art show. Her memories are recorded in scripts when she tells them. She starts from the beginning and continues telling stories until the end. She would make a great author at this rate! -
Gender Schema (4 years)
Hayden has mentioned to us that girls can only do certain things like play with dolls, and boys can only do certain things like play with trucks. She is expressing gender schema to develop rules that are only for males and females. As her parents we do not want her to continue growing up thinking this way so we point out things that girls do that seem like a boy activity to help her see there is no difference for what girls and boys can do. -
Jealousy of Sibling (4 years)
Hayden has been jealous of the attention her sick younger sister has been receiving which makes her very whiny for attention. We ask Hayden for specific help in caring fo her younger sister. In situations like this we consider a plan in giving them something to do to feel helpful. -
Staying on Task (4 years)
We have been trying to give Hayden more responsibilities to help her see her roll as a big sister is very important. But sometimes she needs help or a reminder to stay on task. This is called scaffolding. -
Functional Play (4 years)
Haydan had shown functional play recently by exhibiting fantasy play with dolls. She plays imaginary games with her dolls that has become repetative. -
5 YEARS OLD!!
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KINDERGARTEN (5 years)
Hayden was very scared when we first dropped her off for school. But with the help of the wonderful teacher, when we picked her up, Hayden was sweaty and dirty from having so much fun with her soon to be friends! -
We love math and science (5 years)
Hayden really shows more interest in math and science than the other students in her class when the teacher is going over those subjects. We try to make learning more fun for Hayden when she is first in school to try and carry on that throughout her educational career. -
6 YEARS OLD!!
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FIRST GRADE! (6 years)
Hayden has been very shy at school but managed to make a couple friends. Her teacher has mentioned she needs to work on being more independent and self-reliant. -
The Avid Reader (6 years)
At the end of kindergarten Hayden was reading rhyming books and now in 1st grade has started reading second grade level books. She seems to love reading. Bedtime stories are a must in our home! -
Making new friends (6 years)
Hayden's best friend from kindergartens family moved away 2 months into first grade and Hayden is very upset about it. She has a hard time making friends because she is so shy. We try to have play dates with other children from her class and she really seems to get along with them outside of school, but at school Hayden becomes very shy. -
Volleyball! (6 years)
Hayden loves being active and playing sports so we decided to sign her up for a volleyball team. This will also help Hayden's coordination and motor skills -
Report Card Time (6 years)
Hayden's teacher told us she is an excellent student. She mentioned her vocabulary well surpasses her peers and it shows in Hayden's school work. We are very proud parents and are so happy Hayden loves to learn! -
7 YEARS OLD!!
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Metalinguistic awareness (7 years)
Because Hayden has been talking and reading for so long already, she has great metalinguistic awareness. We believe she has developed this through reading many books and having us read to her as well. Hayden really loves reading so we will continue to read to her and have her expand her reading knowledge by reading harder and longer books as time goes on. -
8 YEARS OLD!!
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Puppy Adoption (8 years)
We decided to add another family member! This will help teach Hayden responsiblity in caring for the puppy. -
Head Start in Math (8 years)
Hayden is taking 4th grade math even though she is in 3rd grade. Even though she is excelling in math, chemistry still seems to be her favorite subject, so we sign her up for after school chemistry and science groups. -
Defining Gross Motor Skills (8 years)
Hayden is at the point in her life where she seems to grow almost every day. She can eat as much as she wants without gaining any weight. This is the time before puberty when childrens bodies are growing significantly so proper nutrition is very important. We also keep Hayden active but signing her up for soccer. We are teaching her smart nutition and activity habits early and keeping them fun for her. -
The Best Big Sister (8 years)
Hayden has recently loved her role as a big sister. Her and her little sister often display cooperative and constructive play when they play together and build blocks. -
Emotional Self Regulation (8 years)
Hayden has become especially good at ermotional self-regulation. Meaning when she becomes upset about somethings she is able to keep her emotions in check and not become upset. She has found that humor helps her, or something not to serious she is able to just shrug off and not worry to much about it. -
Learning the Violin (8 years)
We think it is very important to introduce our children to all kinds of activities when they are young and Hayden came home from school one day wanting to take lessons on the violin! -
Concrete Operational Stage (8 years)
Hayden is at the age where her logic for situations is growing expanantially. She is a very smart girl and well beyond her years! She is asking many questions and developing her own ways of thinking and how she views the world around her. -
9 YEARS OLD!!!
Where has the time gone?? -
Industry vs. Inferiority Stage (9 years)
Hayden has been dealing the with challenges from her parents, peers, school, and after school activities very well. The industry vs Inferiority stage can be very hard on young children learning who they are. Hayden does not seem to show any problems finishing her school work or balancing her after school activities. -
Social Competence (9 years)
Hayden is very much liked among all her classmate and teachers. She loves to have many friends around her and seems to be "popular" in her school. We are glad Hayden has a large group of friends so she is able to develop her social competence in big group settings. -
Boy and Girl Friends (10 years)
Hayden is at the age where she loves playing with both boys and girls. Right now she is in the phase where she loves playing sports outside! Boys usually play sports outside so Hayden has been hanging out with boys more often. We encourage Hayden to be friends with everyone, but if she wants to get dirty and play with boys outside we are totally cool with that! -
Gifted and Talented (10 years)
Hayden has been in the gifted and talented program at her school since 2nd grade. She is now in 5th grade and taking 6th grade math, which is the highest level offered at her school. This math still seems easy for her but as her parents we continue to try and keep her interested. -
Hard Work gets Money$$ (10 years)
Hayden has really been into earning money from doing chores around the house. We love having her do little jobs around the house to make our lives easier, but to also teach her how money is not just given to a person, but they have to work for it! Right now Hayden is saving up for a fancy new bike! -
Social Comparison (10 years)
Hayden does not seem to compare herself to others. She is a very happy-go-lucky girl and loves just being around friends. However, she is about to enter into middle school and has mentioned becoming nervous about the older kids at school. We hope Hayden is not swayed by the "popular" crowd and sticks to who she is. -
BIRTHDAY PARTY!! (11 years)
A packed house with lots of pizza, dancing, and video games!! Yay! -
Self Esteem (11 years)
Hayden's self esteem is very positive of herself. She does not care what is popular among her friend she just does what ever Hayden wants to do! Because her self esteem is high, Hayden has lower anxiety and her performance in everything she does is higher! We are so happy to have a wonderful daughter! -
Coregulation (12 years)
Hayden is arguing with us more and more in 7th grade. She does not like her clothes, doing chores, or her bedtime. We realize this is the stage when parents and children work together to negotiate these things. We come to the agreement that if Hayden does a couple extra chores she can have a later bedtime. -
New Middle School Friends (12 years)
Since the beginning of middle school Hayden has made some new friends. However, these friends have been effecting Hayden's school work because they are not as serious about school as Hayden has been. At home we continue to encourage Hayden to stay on top of her school work. Hopefully this is just a phase! -
Beginning Adolescence (12 years)
Hayden has been talking more and more about boys in her classes and the ones she finds cute. We also notice she has been interested in older teen magazines. She is transitioning into a young adult. -
"I'm Too Fat!!" (12 years)
This is what Hayden announced to the whole house the other day. Yay the beginning of puberty! She has gone through a growth spurt and gained some weight around her hips. She now will not wear certain clothes she thinks do not flatter her figure. She is also more interested in shopping and being with her friends over summer. Which means she is doing more chores around the house for extra money! -
Leader Skills (12 years)
Hayden has shown to be a leader in her group of friends. She is very confident and relaxed in social situations and has shown to be a problem solver if something goes wrong with any of her friends. These are very important skills and we are glad Hayden has acquired these skills. -
Online Socialing (12 years)
Hayden has been very interested with talking to her friends online. She is contantly in contact with them and exchanging gossip at the speed of light! We know this is the age when being with your friends is "cooler" than hanging out with your family. -
Coping (12 years)
There has seemed to be a decrease in Hayden's confidence in her language art skills. We encorage Hayden to write her own stories, or even write in a journal to find something she excels at to bring up her confidence level. Writing is also a great coping skill Hayden has proved to have in the past, hopefully she can use this skill to help her cope during stressful times. -
13 YEARS OLD!
We love celebrating birthdays in our house!! -
Almost time for High school (13 years)
Almost time for high school! With the time off we have been going on nature hikes and using microscopes to look at pond water and things we collect along the way. We have been doing these things to increase Hayden's interest in biology to prepare her for high school courses. -
14 YEARS OLD!
This is the first birthday party Hayden has had with boys and girls! They mostly stayed in the own groups and kept to themselves. Hayden is very nervous for high school so we are trying to down play the high school atmosphere to keep her relaxed. -
Authoritative Parents (14 years)
Hayden recently told us that we are very supportive and approving of her, just like most parents. Then she added that we are a bit more strick than other parents. This was a compliment to us as parents because that is exactly the parenting style we wanted to have! -
Adolescent Metacognition (14 years)
Hayden has been discussing more and more adult like topics with her friends lately. She listens to what they have to say, and does not argue with them, but simply realizes that not everyone thinks the same way. This is Hayden using metacognition, she sees that everyone thinks differently and that is okay. -
Dating (14 years)
Hayden has become interested in a young boy at her school. He is in the honors program and on the boys basketball team. He invited her on a date but we told Hayden she is only allowed to hang out at his house or our house, as long as parents are there, and a large group of friends are at the house too. -
School drama (14 years)
Students at Hayden's school have been recently caught with knives and drugs. This has made Hayden nervous to attend school. -
Morality is Tested (14 years)
On a school field trip Hayden found out about some children stealing from a store. She learned the children were suspended and she agreed that was the right punishment for them because they did not live up to the expectations of the trip. From this we learn Hayden's morality is in the right direction. She knows what is right and wrong and agrees with the consequences that come from the wrong decisions. -
15 YEARS OLD!
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Report Cards (15 years)
Hayden's teachers love having her in class. She is a hard worker and very eager to please. She received four A's and two B's in her classes this year. We are very proud! -
16 YEARS OLD!
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School Magazine (16 years)
Hayden has been submitting writting pieces to the school magazine to be published. She loves to have her family read her stories, and we can tell how great of a writer she is! -
Level Headed (16 years)
Hayden has not experienced adolescent egocentrism, imaginary audience, or personal fables that we have noticed as parents. This means Hayden is not self centered and does not think the world revolves around her. She is a very happy young adult and we are very thankful for that! -
Drivers License (16 years)
Hayden has received her drivers license and is very excited! We ease her into driving and allow her to borrow the car sometimes! Nervous parents!!! -
Realistic Period (16 years)
Hayden has been in the realistic period of her life. Making major decisions about college. But before that, preparing to get into college. Hayden has been involved with many school activities and clubs which is great for volunteer services. She has also been preparing for the SAT's and ACT's! Her stess levels have increased but she keeps them in check by going on walks or writing stories. -
Proving her independence (16 years)
Hayden has been more and more independent as time goes on. Her parents trust her because she has always been a great kid and student. Recently, to prove her independence, she went with her boyfriend to get matching tattoos. Luckily the tattoos are small and not easily seen. Part of growing up is learning to deal with mistakes! -
17 YEARS OLD!
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College is near! (17 years)
Hayden scored in the top 5% on the SAT's and ACT's, this allows for many options for her in college. Now we get to sort through which colleges Hayden would like to attend and filling out the endless applications! -
The College Decision (17 years)
Hayden is finished with high school and had decided to send her acceptence letter to a very prestigious out of state school which she received a scholarship from. She is going to live on-campus and has begun preparing for her big move!
