Reflection on Childhood

This study reflects on the good things from childhood and incorporates theories related to child development propounded by Piaget. The author attempts to find out whether the theory reinforces some of the things that they prefer about their childhood or not. The study also delves into the theory and examines how it fits into the Christian worldview related to education. The author talks about childhood from the perspective of the Bible.

Running Head: REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
In this study I have attempted to reflect on the good things from my childhood. Study does not
contain only the generalized reminiscence of the beautiful moments of my childhood, rather I have
attempted to look at several aspects of my childhood through an analytical prism and mention
positive factors from at least three aspects, in the form of a summary. In this study, I have also
incorporated the theories related to child development propounded by Piaget and tried to find out
whether the theory reinforce some of the things that I prefer about my childhood or not. In the next
section of this reflective essay, I have undertaken a critical approach to relate the theory with my
religious background. In this context I have delved deep into the theory and attempted to examine
how the theory fits into the Christian worldview related to education. In this context I have talked
about childhood from the perspective of Bible.
Reminiscence of the good things from childhood
I can remember that there are plenty of good things and sweet memories associated with
my childhood. Like all other Nepalese families my family also trusted hostel for my mental
physical as well as psychological development. As a result, I was sent to hostel at a very young
age. During my hostel life I made a lot of friends and learnt a bunch of good things which will
last in me forever.
One of the most remarkable good things is that the hostel was inspired by Hindu
philosophies and made us inculcate good habits depicted in Hinduism. Hostel taught us valuable
lesson to make our body and mind calm and every morning we exercise this art of calmness
through meditation. It used to help us to enhance our focus and concentration on studies and
extra-curricular activities.

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
Some of the beautiful moments associated with good things learnt, often glide through
my memory. I remember of enjoying playing various kinds of games with my friends. Most of
them were indoor games. Hostel encourage our mental development through indoor games like-
Ludo, Chess, and other board games. Thus, our hostel made learning full of fun. It had also
contributed to my cultural development. I got the opportunity to explore my potentialities
through the training of cultural as well as classical dance. I also had keen interest in singing and
enjoyed learning music. I was delighted to take part in music classes. Thus, the good things
learnt in the hostel fostered my mental, educational, intellectual and cultural development.
Summarizing different aspects
Educational Aspects:
I can remember positive or goods things from my childhood. I believe that these factors
have fostered my educational development. It is true that in Nepalese culture achieving good
grade is considered to be a crucial part of the educational life. Hence our teachers in the hostel
always motivated us to study more and give equal importance to the textbook knowledge as well
as knowledge about the world outside our known boundaries. As our teachers used to believe
that overall excellence in academics can be achieved if we gain knowledge about the outer world
along with focusing on the textbooks. Our focus on extra-curricular activities were less
sometimes, as the hostel inspired the educational as well as intellectual development more than
development in the outdoor sports activities.
Cultural Aspect:
Whenever I try to find out the factors that fostered my cultural development in early
childhood, the name of my hostel came into my mind. During my hostel life, I got the

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
opportunity to explore my potentialities through the training of cultural as well as classical
dance. I also had keen interest in singing and enjoyed learning music. I was delighted to take part
in music classes. The memory of the cultural programs in which I had participated in my
childhood are still vibrant. As I participated in such cultural program since my childhood I am
devoid of any kind of stage fear. Hence I can mention that my childhood had not only
accelerated my cultural development, it had also made me confident and representable in front of
everybody.
Intellectual aspect:
Other good things which I remember about the phase of my childhood, which I have
spent in the hostel, is that the hostel staffs and teachers were concerned of our intellectual
development. They used to encourage us to play indoor games like crossword puzzle and later
chess. I remembered of participating in the chess competition several times. This did not only
accelerate my intellectual development but also made me delighted by providing several
opportunities to win attractive prizes in those competitions.
Religious aspect:
During the early phase of my childhood I was highly inspired by the teachings of
Hinduism by our hostel. I became attracted to the norm and principles of Hinduism. I loved the
way Hostel taught us to worship God, as the rituals related to worship Hindu Gods and
goddesses used to bring peace in my mind. I realized that there is a power latent in the Hindu
prayer songs. All these catered to my religious development and I found that there is a spiritual
connection between my soul and the universe.

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
Theory of Piaget
Psychologist Jean Piaget, threw lights on the subject of child development through his
cognitive development theories. According to him education is a very important factor for the
overall development of the children, but along with educational development , the thinking of a
child should also get matured according to their age. Jean Piaget stated that this would only be
possible, if children attempt to interact with the world by transcending their known boundaries.
In this context he had propounded a four-stage theory (Carey, Zaitchik & Bascandziev 2015).
The four stages of this theory are- Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational.
(Gracepointwellness.org, 2019). According to the views of Jean Piaget the Sensorimotor stage
considered to be the first stage among the all four stages and this stage lasts from the birth of the
child till it completes two years. Thus, in this stage children learn the proper use of their five
senses. This incident is referred to as "sensory," and the act of experiencing and learning with the
help of crawl, feeble walks, point and grasp, is depicted as “motor”. Next stage, according to
Jean Piaget, is the preoperational stage, which lasts from the age of two to the age of seven. Jean
identified that during this stage the child starts using mental symbols, to express itself to the
world and understand the world in a better way. This stage is immediately followed by concrete
operational stage, the duration of which is from the age of seven to eleven. This stage is very
vital for the mental, intellectual as well as educational development of the child, as in this stage
the child starts gaining the ability to think logically and solve problems as well as organize the
information collected by the effective use of the senses. During the stage of formal operation, the
reasoning ability and imaginative power of the child develops. As a result it becomes capable of
thinking more abstractly to solve complex problems. This stage lasts from the age of eleven to
the adolescent period (Cohen & Waite-Stupiansky, 2017).

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
Theory of early child development reinforces some of the things that I prefer
about my childhood:
The theory of early childhood as propounded by Jean Piaget, reinforce some of the things
that I prefer about my own childhood. Relating the incidences of my childhood days and
Following the cognitive development theory of Jean Piaget, I can identify that, when I was sent
to the hostel at my Sensorimotor stage, in which I was learning the proper use of five senses. I
remember that I used to enjoy interacting and playing with my friends a lot. As per the
suggestion of Jean , Sensorimotor is the stage, when the thinking ability of the children start to
develop through interaction with the outer world. I have also spend the preoperational as well as
concrete operational stages, in the hostel. Hostel offered me a lot of opportunity to interact with
the outer world by allowing me to mixing with friends and playing with them. This have taught
me the proper use of the mental symbols so that I am able to express myself to the world and
understand the world in a better way. The indoor games like chess crossword puzzles have not
only accelerated my mental, intellectual as well as educational development but also nourished
my ability to think logically and solve problems. During the stage of ‘formal operation’, in my
childhood, I have enjoyed participating in several cultural programs and competitions. All these
have taught me the effective use of five senses, helped me to inculcate creativity, reasoning
ability and imaginative power (verywellmind.com, 2019).
Relation of the theory with my religious background:
Relating the theory of early childhood as propounded by Jean Piaget, with my religious
background, I can mention that I was highly inspired by the teachings of Hinduism, in my
childhood. My interaction with the principles and rituals of Hinduism and practice of the

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
meditation has accelerated my religious as well as mental development. I became attracted to the
norm and principles of Hinduism. I loved the way Hostel taught us to worship God, as the rituals
related to worship Hindu Gods and goddesses used to bring peace in my mind. I realized that
there is a power latent in the Hindu prayer songs. All these catered to my religious development
and I found that there is a spiritual connection between my soul and the universe
(Compassion.com, 2019).
How does the theory fit into Christian worldview related to education?
Relating the theory of early childhood as propounded by Jean Piaget with the Christian
worldview related to education, it can be said that, the cognitive theory of Jean Piaget supports
the beliefs of Christian worldview, that the environment or atmosphere in which a child interact,
can become one of the most crucial factors in fostering overall educational, mental as well as
intellectual development to f a child. Hence, it can be said that the developments suggested by
Jean Piaget, during the four stages of cognitive development- Sensorimotor, Preoperational,
Concrete Operational, has a strong connection with Christian worldview related to education.
Bible’s perception childhood:
Delving deep into the Bible’s perception of children, I can find that, Bible consider children
as the part of the creative plan prepared by God at the time of creating Adam and Eve. After
Adam and Eve were created, God ordered them that they should raise themselves in number.
Here the command of God to be fruitful indicated that Adam and Eve should give birth to a
child. Bible also supports the notion that the children should receive proper guidance and care.
This will aid in the physical, spiritual, emotional, growth (worldvision.org, 2019). The notion
discipline in the development of a child is also discussed in Bible. According to the perception of

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
Bible the atmosphere in which a child interacts can leave a deep impact on the growth and
development of the child. The example of this can be found in the childhood of Jesus. The
devoutly spiritual ambience in which Jesus was brought up was the result of Jesus’s birth in a
religious family (Life, Hope & Truth, 2019). This notion of child development is also supported
by the psychologist as well as the social scientists of modern days.
In the conclusion, it can be said that, my childhood consists of a series of beautiful memories.
I can relate the good things in my childhood with the different stages of cognitive development
theories, as proposed by jean Piaget. All these have contributed to my mental, intellectual,
education, cultural development. The caring, religious and intellectual atmosphere that I
experienced all through my childhood reminded me of Bible’s perception of childhood- the
atmosphere in which a child interacts can leave a deep impact on the growth and development of
the child.

REFLECTION ON CHILDHOOD
References
Carey, S., Zaitchik, D., & Bascandziev, I. (2015). Theories of development: In dialog with Jean Piaget.
Developmental Review, 38, 36-54.
Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (Eds.). (2017). Theories of early childhood education:
Developmental, behaviorist, and critical. Taylor & Francis.
Compassion.com. (2019). What Does the Bible Say About Children?. Retrieved from
https://www.compassion.com/poverty/what-the-bible-says-about-children.htm
Development: Overview. Retrieved from https://www.gracepointwellness.org/28-child-adolescent-
development-overview/article/7929-jean-piaget-and-child-development
Gracepointwellness.org. (2019). Jean Piaget and Child Development - Child & Adolescen
Life, Hope & Truth. (2019). Jesus’ Childhood. Retrieved from
https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/jesus-childhood/
www.verywellmind.com. (2019). What Are Piaget's Four Stages of Development?. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457
www.worldvision.org, D. (2019). What does the Bible say about children? World Vision. Retrieved
from https://www.worldvision.org/christian-faith-news-stories/what-does-the-bible-say-about-
children