P3: Explain the influences of two predictable and two unpredictable major life events on the development of an individual.

P3: Explain the influences of two predictable and two unpredictable major life events on the development of an individual.

A life event can change the direction of our lives, affecting our personal development. Some major changes in life can be predicted and even chosen, while others may be unpredicted. Predictable life events, such as starting school, going through puberty and retiring from work, often mark a transition from one stage of life to another, acting as milestones in our personal development. Unpredictable life events, such as sudden illness or injury, redundancy or the death of a friend or relative, occur unexpectedly and are often associated with loss, but may also lead to positive change in our lives.

Predictable:

leaving home:

This is a predictable life event. However, it can have an influence on an individual’s development. Firstly, the physical development will have an impact as an individual will have a change in their diet due to lack of cooking experience. In addition, it will also cause a lack of nutrition and an individual would need to change their diet. An individual could go out more and choose the wrong decisions such as drinking or smoking and gain/lose weight. Secondly, would be intellectual development as the individual would need to set up gas and water, learn about mortgages. Thirdly, would be emotional development as the individual would become more independent and have emotions to feel such as feeling lonely, scared or happy. Lastly, would be social development as an individual would be on their own and therefore, have no social to be around with. In addition, an individual could go out more and be around with more social class people.

When my mother moved out of her mothers she was 22. My mother wasn’t ready to move out of her mothers at that age, she just couldn’t cope with living with her step-father for any longer. My mother moved in with my father after being with him for just over a year, they moved out to Streatham. My mother never wanted to move this far away from her mother but the council were unable to give her anywhere close to where she had lived with her mother.

When my mother moved out her social life crumbled, due to having to pay for what they needed in the house (gas, electric, food etc.). However when she moved out of her parents instead of going out and socializing her friends would just come round her house these were called ‘house parties’.

After living in Streatham for 6 years my mother got offered a place round the corner from her mothers. My mother and father had been trying for a baby whilst living in Streatham but there was no luck as she kept having miscarriages. However as soon as she moved closer to her mother she became pregnant, my mother believes that it was because she felt truly relaxed and safe by being so near to her mother.

starting school:

This is a predictable life event. However, it can have an influence on an individual’s development. Firstly, the physical development will have an impact as an individual would be that they would start doing a subject of P.E which would give them a boost in psychical development and some individuals who do not get enough run around would be able to do their physical development at school. In addition, some individuals who do no get enough nutrition or meals at home could have school dinners and therefore, increase their psychical development. Secondly, would be intellectual development as the individual would need to know which classes they are meant to be at or to remember a teacher’s name. Thirdly, would be emotional development as the individual would become more independent and have emotions to feel such as feeling lonely, scared or happy. Socially starting school should allow an individual to make friends and adjust to certain peer groups.

In school, my mother learnt how to make new friends and socialize with them. Some of her friends were a good influence to her and some were bad. This made my mother realise that not everyone wishes and want the best for you, she gained friends that were determined to see her fail. My mother had a lot of trust issues during her adolescence this was because of her mother, this meant that she was never really able to rely on someone completely. Due to her lack of trust it meant that my mother was never really able to let her guard down, therefore no one really new what she was like completely they only saw what she allowed them to see.

My mother had a lot of activities that she participated in during her adolescence (drama, textiles and music). These activities allowed my mother to gain confidence and become the person that she aspired to be. My mother was in a few performances (grease, footloose and my fair lady) she desperately tried to gain her mothers attention, she thought by doing these performances she would be able to build her relationship up with her mother.

Education also helped her to be the person that she is now. My mother became more aware of her environment and the activities that were being offered. School was able to broaden her knowledge with the help of his teachers, she took a particular interest in drama. The interest in drama could be a result of the fact that when doing this subject she could pretend to be someone else, someone who was excepted for who they were.

unpredictable:

Illness/serious accident:

Most people will have some sort of illness in our lives, which aren’t usually serious. However sometimes people develop a condition or become ill where the consequences are permanent, some of these could be a result of genetic, developmental or environmental because of accidents or they may have developed as a result of infection. There are many types of disabilities, which could be a result of any of these conditions.

My mother suffers from many health conditions (insulin dependent diabetes, COPD, as only asthma etc) i have only listed a few here. The most recent discovery that has been made on my mother health is Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation in the pancreas. The pancreas is a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas produces enzymes that assist digestion and hormones that help regulate the way your body processes sugar (glucose).

My mother also suffers from insulin dependent diabetes so when my mother Pancreatitis flares up her blood sugar sky rockets, this means that she is at terrible risk of going into a diabetic coma if it isn’t controlled. When the Pancreatitis flares up the amount of insulin she has to inject is usually doubled sometime it can even be tripled. Even after the Pancreatitis has returned back to normal the amount of insulin she has to inject will have to remain the same because her body adapts. My mother has to have an injection 4 times a day.

My mothers social life since she has had these health conditions has dwindled as she is unable to leave the house by herself as she would be putting herself at risk. My mother rely’s on me a lot more since she found out that she ha Pancreatitis and I have been allocated her full-time career as we have no other family that we talk to/or live close enough to help.

Relationship changes:

As we get older we change as people, this means that we can grow together and grow apart. A relationship can either get stronger as time goes on or it can get weak, this means that people may leave a relationship because they aren’t getting what they need from it (attention, love, affection etc.).

In my mothers case her and my father were very strong for 18 years  but after her mother died he changed towards her, he became very controlling. My mother felt like she wasn’t given anytime to grieve for her mother, as he wanted her to remain the same after her mother died not realising that people change after significant things happen throughout her life.

My mother started to recent my father towards the end of the relationship, this meant that they were unable to have a normal conversation without it turning into an argument. My mother and father tried to stay together for a further 2 years after her mother died, however it became clear that they were just making each other miserable so they decided that it would be best for them to split up.

My mother made it clear that she wouldn’t stop him from seeing me and that they would remain civil for me. My mother tried to get back with my father but it was made clear after a short time that they were no longer in love, so there was no point in trying to make their relationship work.