Blogging

I really appreciated how this class incorporated technology as an academic tool. I think it's rare for teachers to take advantage of all the new learning opportunities that are available. Reading other people's blogs helped me to edit my own and develop my posts. For future students creating blogs for assignment, I would suggest picking a topic that provides more possibilities for a standpoint than mine. Family is definitely one of my passions, but difficult to make exciting or form a strong opinion about. 

Bloggers in my community: the most difficult thing for me is trying to maintain a balance. I'm never sure when I am involving a reader too much in my personal life, and when I am not giving enough information. Altogether, I liked the blogging. It made the idea of weekly composition seem a lot less intimidating and monotonous.

Central Support

Today my cousin leaves for his mission. He is a Latter Day Saint and is serving the typical 2 year religious calling most Mormon boys do at 19. He will be in Detroit without a cell phone, T.V, the comfort of family, or familiarity. I truly admire and respect his courage to leave home, and abandon most of the luxuries our society enjoys. LDS patrons stress the importance of family and that is a major aspect I have always appreciated of the religion. 

One of the amazing benefits of family I have found is the confidence you share with one another. Alex has told me he has doubts, and that he is nervous about how he will do, but also that he understands his purpose. I am not putting any religious proclamations in this post, I am simply trying to emphasize the importance of family to each person. Family is the one thing that can remain stable in everyones life. It also can be and usually is entirely different for all people. Personally I don't think family is limited to blood relatives or marriages. Other people I know put emphasis on their belief in a higher being as the predecessor of their genealogy. It doesn't matter what composes your family if you can reap the same benefits from one another. 

"Families are, or should be, a source of emotional support and comfort, warmth and nurturing, protection and security" (Schor). After talking to my cousin Alex about his mission last night, I considered my own fortune. I have learned to look inward for support, as your family is constant and other elements fade. 

Schor, Edward. "The Importance of the Family." Caring for Your School-Age Child Ages 5-12. American Academy of Pediatrics. 06 Jul 1999 11 Dec 2008. http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ1J60F79C⊂_cat=106.

The Hierarchy of Birth Order

I was  talking to my mom about what to write my next blog on and we got interrupted by a call from her sister. They began their typical banter of how my mom always got the pretty blue dress and my aunt the ugly brown, and how my mom had no rules but my aunt got all the attention. Annoying as that was, it gave me a good idea. In psychology we learned all about the order of children and how personalities are developed by it. 

Oldest siblings tend to be dominant, leaders in their environment. Practically all of our presidents have been the eldest child, or the first-born male in their families (DeBroff). Parents are the most nervous and anticipatory about the first child. As they begin to expand the family with one or more children a middle child appears. The 'middle child syndrome' really does exist. These kids feel like they have to struggle for the spotlight and get shafted when it comes to attention. The last-born or youngest child is when the parents are the most relaxed with the parting styles and they tend to spoil the baby of the family rotten. 

I think this is a really fun subject because the evidence supporting these theories is obvious. My brother (the oldest) is neurotic and authoritative. I (the youngest) am easy-going and, hard to say no to when it comes to my mom. In my mom the facts are clearly exemplified also. Many middle children are artsy and creative, but they are fickle in their tasks. She is all of the above. Think about people you know...can you tell what number they are?

DeBroff, Stacy. "What are the Effects of the Middle Child Syndrome?"  MSNBC Interactive. August 14 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14335112/ December 2, 2008.