Impacts on Early Emotional Development

The area and region that I chose to research was Latin America and Caribbean. The countries I chose to look more closely into were Jamaica and Haiti. The reason why I chose this region is because a dream of mines has always been to visit the islands and to see how the people lived in their country. Actually when I see vacation advertisements of the islands they look so exciting, fun and, relaxing. Well last year (July 2013) 3 of my girlfriends and I travelled to Jamaica for our summer vacation. We had an awesome time on the resort but our eyes were wide open to “REAL” life of the people in the community. The country is a very poor country. Children and families are living in horrible living conditions. Children and families stand on corners selling small items and foods for small amounts of money in order to survive. When we went on our tours, we witnessed families living in homes without a roof top, walls, or windows. We learned from our tour guide that many of the residents cannot afford home loans due to the high interest, so families work for many years just to complete their homes. Usually it takes fifteen years or longer to earn enough money. The poverty rate is so high that there is one area of the country named Kingston that tour guides prohibited us from visiting. We had seen men riding on the back of pickup trucks with machine guns. I could not believe what I had seen. Most of the countries revenues are brought about from tourist. The people are very friendly and expect tips for just about everything.  

A few of the challenges that children in this region face are diseases, food and shelter, and natural disasters. These are conditions that children have to face on a day-to-day basis and there is little that their parents are able to do to protect their children. AIDS is a disease that has struck Jamaica very heavy. There are many children who have parents who have either died from AIDS or are living with AIDS. These children have to take on adult roles and care for their parents and siblings. This can be emotionally challenging for these children that have to take on adult roles and support their family. These children face enormous challenges- financial uncertainty, the fear of losing their parents, stigma and discrimination from their communities and an uncertain future (UNICEF, 2011). Many children are left with the loss of both parents and are expected to continue with their lives. In 2003, with the support of UNICEF, Jamaica developed a National plan of action for Orphans and other Children made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS (UNICEF, 2011). UNICEF makes sure that these children are placed in either a shelter or home that will provide the children with a healthy living arraignment.

The children as well as the families have had their share of emotional challenges. One of the most recent challenges was hurricane Sandy. Many families where separated and destroyed from the hurricane. This has to be emotionally straining on children who have lost their parents or have been separated from their families. Although Haiti dodged Sandy’s direct hit, the hurricane triggered heavy rain and severe flooding in the country between 23 and 27 October, and devastated at least 70 out of Haiti’s 140 communes (UNICEF, 2011). With the much overkill of heavy rain and water, disease quickly spreads through the region. Nearly 50 per cent of cases of tetanus in the Caribbean occur in Haiti (UNICEF, 2011). UNICEF along with many volunteers distribute a solution or pill that will help to uncontaminated the water and foods that the people intake. Many young girls and older women are given a series of vaccines to prevent themselves and their future babies from catching tetanus.

Children are simply children. Natural disasters and diseases have their way with the emotions of young children. Children are too young to understand what is taking place in their community or why it is that mom and dad have died and left them all alone. When children are faced with such tragedy, it is very difficult for these children to be emotionally capable to succeed in school. Their young minds are on an over load with the issues that surround their lives. Sometimes these emotions lead children to behavioral issues. Personally that is why I have dedicated my life to advocacy and education. Besides with parents, children spend most of their day with their educators. When disaster or issues arise in these children’s lives, we are to be their support system and advocate assisting with making sure these children and families receive what they need in order to survive.  

This assignment has given me the insight that educators have a great work to be done in the lives of children. We need to be prepared to serve children and families who have emotional distresses in their lives by providing referrals and other health related services to accommodate these children and families.  We also need to actively encourage families to be a part of and involved in their children’s lives during infancy. Children need parental bonding with their parents so that children will have a sense of connection and belonging to their parents. Healthy emotional development is a key essential in a child’s development.      

Reference

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/