Impacts on Early Emotional Development

For this assignment I chose to research the area of Latin America and the Caribbean. I chose this area because I have always been fascinated with Costa Rica especially, the wildlife is just amazing. Although I do know a bit about the overall general area I do not know anything about the education or child living situation here. I have to say when I did research this further I found disturbing facts and news that made my heart sink. According to UNICEF (2011) there are “serious situations of inequality and violence affecting Latin America and the Caribbean, where children are highly vulnerable and are among the most disadvantaged of populations”. Education for children in this region, specifically Costa Rica start at age 6 which means many of the children newborn to 5 either stay home or attend one of the few day care settings in the area. Child Labor in this region is a big challenge where girls are forced to stay home and clean their home and others. Another huge challenge that children face on a daily basis in this region is violence; “daily living situations of violence in their closest environment” (UNICEF, 2011). “Indigenous children are the most exposed to violence, where girls and adolescents are still the main victims of sexual violence” (UNICEF, 2011). In Latin America and the Caribbean there is a huge problem and presence of human trafficking, exploitation, and sexual abuse of children and adolescents. UNICEF (2014) is “developing projects and programs to assist in reducing commercial sexual exploitation of children in all countries of the region”.

These challenges that children face on a daily basis will surely effect their social and emotional development and well-being. The children living in Latin America and the Caribbean are being exposed to violence in all areas of their living environment and this can take a very big toll on them emotionally. At such a young age they are not able to comprehend what is going on around them and why. Females are being exploited and abused and are not living the childhood that they should be. A safe and secure living and learning environment is non-existent where they are being exposed to caring and respectful individuals that meet all their needs.

Reading about all these challenges make me feel bad that I sometimes complain about not having extra money in my budget for more art supplies or manipulatives for different classrooms. You don’t realize what is going on in other countries around the world when your world is consumed by what is going on in your location. My main focus is working with and taking care of the children I see on a daily basis, but I don’t realize the horrible conditions that children are living with around the world. I take for granted the funds and means we have here in the U.S. for education for our young children and the care they receive from their teachers on a daily basis.

Reference

 UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/