David Castillo
Professor Lynch
Child Growth and Development
1/23/2025
Dear John Doe,
Welcome to my parenting class. I’m David Castillo, a child development expert. I will be
providing you with help to get a better understanding of your child’s growth and development
and their experience during their ages of twelve to eighteen years of life. During this time, we
will be focusing on physical, cognitive, and emotional/social development of your child. For
physical development we will be focusing on things such as brain development, sleep, and also
nutrition. The cognitive development will be conservation, irreversibility, and theory of mind.
Lastly, the social and emotional development we will be focusing on friendships, stage of play,
and regulation of emotions. All these things are vital when it comes to your child’s development.
It will help them pave their way into being their own selves.
Physical Development
What is physical development? Physical development is the growth and development of both the
brain and the body in infancy and early childhood.
1. Brain Development: major shifts in the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and
limbic system. While the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making and
impulse control, evolves more slowly, the limbic system, which is linked to emotions and
rewards, develops more swiftly, leading to increased emotional intensity and risk-taking
behaviors.
2. Sleep: Sleep is essential for teens because it fosters their mental and physical
development. Teens in this stage of life typically require 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night,
but many struggle to meet their sleep needs due to social, academic, and technological
pressures. Their general health, conduct, and emotions may suffer as a result.
3. Nutrition: Adolescents require healthy eating since it promotes rapid growth and
development throughout this critical stage of life. A balanced diet with a variety of fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats is necessary to meet their growing
energy needs and to promote their physical and mental health.
Cognitive Development
What is Cognitive development? Cognitive development is the growth and change in intellectual
abilities such as thinking, reasoning, and understanding.
1. Conservation: conservation includes the understanding that an object's volume, mass,
and number remain constant despite changes in its form or appearance. During
adolescence, this concept, which typically reaches its full development during
childhood's concrete operational stage, becomes more complex and abstract, allowing for
more advanced logical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
2. Irreversibility: when people begin to overcome this limitation because their thinking
becomes more abstract and fluid, allowing them to understand that some processes may
be undone or reversed. This enhances their capacity for logical reasoning and
problem-solving.
3. Theory Of Mind: In cognitive development, theory of mind refers to the capacity to
acknowledge that other people have different thoughts, feelings, and perspectives from
one's own. This ability grows throughout adolescence and promotes better social
relationships, empathy, and understanding of complicated social situations.
Social - Emotional Development
What is Social-Emotional Development? Social -emotional development covers 2 important
concepts which are the development of self or temperament and relationship to others or
attachment.
1. Friendships: They provide teens with social skills development, emotional support, and a
sense of community, each of which contribute to the formation of their identities and
sense of self.
2. Stages Of Play: Teens gain social skills, emotional support, and a sense of belonging
from them, all of which aid in the formation of their identities and sense of self.
3. Regulations of Emotions: it is more challenging for teenagers because of their heightened
self-awareness and cognitive abilities during puberty. They begin to use more
sophisticated methods of emotion regulation, like cognitive reappraisal and seeking out
social support, to get over the emotional and social challenges of this developmental
stage.
In conclusion, every single one of these traits that I had discussed with you plays a big part in
your child’s life. They will be needing and using these things every day. Hopefully I can help
you through all of this in order to get you not only through the class but through your kids as
well. I will be looking forward to class, see you guys then!
My best regards,
David Castillo
