Personal Childhood Web

Urie Bronfenbrenner, a psychologist, articulated a theory called Ecological Systems Theory. In his explanation he shared his research on how “the inherent qualities of children and their environments interact to influence how they grow and develop (Kenan and Evans, 2009.)” His theory has 5-levels of external influences that interact with the child both directly and indirectly. Below I want to share with you the support that makes up my ecological system.

Keenan, T., & Evans, S. (2009). Theories of development. In An introduction to child Development (pp. 35-43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage   

Pearl (Grandma)

My Angel

My grandmother meant the world to me. Growing up if I did not live in her house I was always within minutes of travel time, whether it be by foot or car. As the matriarch of the family I would watch her cook large meals from scratch to feed whoever came by wanting to eat. These meals would bring everyone together in the best and worse times. As a child, I figured I had found a way to people’s heart and it was through food. I grew up and out of the house to follow suit with making meals that would brighten even the most darkest day for people that are dear to me. I watched my grandmother ride the city bus to and from work well into her 70’s, although her health was not the best. She pushed me to go out and work for the things that I want in life and that is how I found my first job as a camp counselor at 14. After a long day of work or school my grandmother was ready to hear about my day, actively listening and contributing with her wisdom. I inherited her ability to listen to others and build lasting relationships through trust and respect.

Mom and Lil’ Bro

My Rocks

My mother raised my brother and me as a single mom. At the time I didn’t realize it, because she made it look easy, but this was not an easy feat, especially as we grew older. She worked multiple jobs just to make sure that we would not become a stereotype. My brother and I definitely take after her in that aspect because at one point I had 3 jobs and was in college. I did not rely on anyone to get things done because my mom had modeled that if you want it work for it and it is yours. She was always reading or doing a puzzle and now I have been able to pass down our love for reading and brain teasers to my own son.

My brother, although younger, thinks he is my protector. We have healthy sibling banter but he is always there for me when I need him. He is a contrarian and it bothered me at first, because I thought he was just being mean to me. What he was doing was helping me see a situation from a different view. Him doing that has made me a more understanding and patient individual. My brother, my bff, would talk about anything with me at night before bed. This made me feel special to know that I had someone in my corner who made it a point to check in each day on my well being.

Family Extension

Bottom Left: Mom and Aunt Yvette Top Left: Aunt Jazz and Aunt Sheila Middle: Uncle OV

My aunts and uncle are like having 3 more moms and a dad. I spent alot of time with them growing up. At times we all lived in my grandmothers duplex together. They are all avid readers and whenever I asked a question the answer from any of them was, go get the dictionary or the encyclopedia. As a child it was frustrating but I could navigate resource books like no other. Now that I am an adult if I have a question, which is everyday, I will research as much as I can before asking anyone. We could not afford to take vacations outside of the city limits, but that did not stop them from providing me with experiences. They would pull together people to play a variety of sports in the park, so that I could still play an organized sport. I did not miss a parade or the true experience of what a holiday stood for. They cooked with me, we sat and ate meals together, watched tv as a family on a Saturday morning, took part in school fieldtrips and helped with homework (without giving any answers). All of this made me feel like the richest kid in the world and to never take opportunities for granted no matter how big or small. When I work with families that cannot afford more than life necessities, the influence of my family makes me a great resource to help them build rich experiences with their children.

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