fandomhigh | Child Development- 1st Period- Class #6

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child development

Child Development- 1st Period- Class #6

"Good morning, class," Lily greeted them after the bell had rung. "Today we're going to be dealing with psychology, specifically developmental psychology. Here's the thing: this is a scary scary topic because it is huge. There are a lot of different guys with theories, some more famous than others, and there's a lot to it. But we're only using one class period to discuss it, because I already talked enough this weekend and you all might fall asleep on your desks. But," she said, handing out a stack of work sheets, "I want you to look these over. Find something you want to discuss and we'll go over it here in class. And if you want some extra credit, next week come in with a summary of one of the theories. Do not copy off Wikipedia, that's the easiest thing to check in the world.

"Of the most famous theories is Piaget, who came up with four stages of development that children go through on their way to adult intelligence. So far we've been covering children in the sensorimotor stage, and we're moving into the preoperational. And preoperational can be broken down further, so that the age we're getting into here is in the preconceptual stage. Wherein they're selfish little brats, but it explains a little bit about why they think their stuffed animal might be sad if it's left behind. It's worth a read.

"There's also social learning, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. This will come up more when we get into Nature vs. Nurture, but this is the theory that you learn by what you see, and though reinforcement and punishment. You know, monkey see, monkey do. You ever see a toddler trying to imitate his dad or big brother? Same thing.

"Then there's Erikson, not to be confused with my husband the professor." That was still kind of awesome to say. "Where Piaget had four stages, Erikson went ahead and amped it up to eight stages of psychosocial development. This may take a little more in-depth reading. Sorry. At the toddler stage, which is where we'd be at now, the kids are starting to recognize that they're their own cute little tiny persons. This stage is called Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. You want to encourage the kids to be their own individuals, but at the same time you have to let go a little and let them start making their own decisions, or they will tend to have issues. This is why you hear the word 'no' a lot at this age.

"And there's one thing that isn't on these sheets that we're going to be playing with, and I'm sure everyone's heard of it. It's called reverse psychology," Lily said. "Remember two seconds ago, when I brought up Erikson and letting your toddlers start to make their own choices? Sometimes those kids will make bad ones. Of course they will; they're kids. Adults hardly make the right choices, and three-year-olds have less practice. Say the kid doesn't want to play with a toy you just spent a lot of money on, and he'd rather play with the box. You try to take away the box, the kid wants it more. You all know this behavior, you're teenagers. You might turn it around on the kid and try to make the toy the thing they want to play with, by trying to play with it yourself, or taking it away from them, and see what happens. This plays on someone's sense of reactance.

"What you're going to do today is to pair up and try to use reverse psychology on the other person. I don't care what you use, but try to convince the other person they don't want something they would ordinarily want, or just try and make them want the thing you want them to want. If that makes sense. If you want to pretend you're five, which I think everyone should do once in a while, there are plenty of toys around to make someone choose between. Or, you know, be teens and try to get convince some poor sap to go to the dance with you. Though I am not responsible for any Jerry Springer-like fights that may occur as a result."

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"Eh, I'm not even sure I want to go," Peyton admitted. Which was at least partly a lie.

"Sure you do! It's fun!" Triela did not sound entirely convinced of either of these 'facts'.

"Why? You dress up in some uncomfortable outfit, stand around against the wall for a few hours feeling like an idiot, and then you go home with sore feet and an aching back and nothing to show for it," Peyton argued.

Except for where sometimes it could be really nice.

"Don't you like getting dressed up?" Triela looked down at her impeccably tailored three-piece suit. "Not that you need a dance as an excuse to do it, but it's fun."

Peyton shrugged, looking down at her jeans, tank top and overshirt. "Not so much. Well... sometimes it can be a lot of fun, but others..."

"So this can be one of those times when it's fun." Triela grinned. "Besides, maybe there's someone you really want to ask?" Triela wasn't sure about that part.

Peyton shrugged. "Sort of."

"And the reason you don't do it is...?" Triela raised an eyebrow, pretending that she hadn't just guessed about that.

Peyton shrugged again. "We're... not exclusive. And if he's thinking the dance might be a good place to pick somebody up..."

"And you don't want to get..." she paused, trying to think of the word. "Ditched?"

"Oh, I don't think he'd ditch me," Peyton said. "He's not that kind of guy. "Rejected, turned down, worrying if he's feeling stuck that he's there with me and can't act on something..."

"He likes you, though, right?" Triela blinked. She wasn't really qualified to give out relationship advice.

But that wasn't about to stop her.

"Um. Yeah," Peyton admitted. "Of course he does. We wouldn't be in a relationship - exclusive or otherwise - if he didn't."

"So why would he feel stuck?" Triela probably wasn't helping her case by displaying that she didn't get it.

"If he said yes and then ran into someone he'd rather go home with?"

"And if you don't ask him and he doesn't? Wouldn't you regret it?"

She shrugged again. "Maybe. Maybe not. And maybe I'd rather be asked than always be the one asking."

"That makes sense," Triela nodded. And that part, at least, she understood. "Mind if I ask who it is?"

"Dean Winchester," Peyton said with a little smile. "Really great guy."

"I don't know him," Triela admitted. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

Because that would go well.

"Oh, God, no!" Peyton said looking utterly shocked. "That wouldn't be good! I mean, I appreciate the thought and all, but... no. Thanks."

"Then you should ask him." This was actually a negotiating tactic. Triela wouldn't even know what to say if she decided to meddle. But the point of the exercise was to convince the other party to do something they didn't want to...

Peyton shook her head. "I think I've just fairly thoroughly convinced myself not to."

"Well then I guess I'll have to talk to him," Triela tried threatening again. If, you know, she could figure out who he was.

Peyton folded her arms and just stared.

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