Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I chose to explore the Middle East and North Africa region through the UNICEF website because there has been heavy conflict and turmoil in this part of the world for many years (UNICEF, 2011). While exploring the site I found that millions of children are in danger of the freezing temperatures this winter. They have been getting sick and as a result have to miss school or may even die in their conditions (UNICEF, 2011). Many of these refugees do not have much left, since they had to flee their country to avoid violence, and now they do not have what they need to stay warm and healthy during the winter.

Children are also dying from diseases that could be easily prevented. Yemen has been experiencing an economic crisis in addition to the war, which makes essential commodities less affordable and accessible. Children and families do not have access to affordable foods or vaccines, which leads to malnutrition and diseases that could be easily preventable (Cappelaere, 2018).

These issues briefly highlight the hardships that children and families must face in the Middle East and North Africa region of our world. These experiences have a negative effect on children’s emotional wellbeing and development in addition to their physical wellbeing and development. Many of the children in this region have experienced types of trauma or life-changing situations that I could not imagine going through. Their days do not focus on a school routine or planning what to do on the weekend, but rather they focus on survival and making it through to see another day. Going through these challenges expedites children’s maturity and takes away their childhood, which strips them of the wonderful years they should be granted without having to make such life-altering decisions.

Personally, learning about this is heartbreaking. To know that millions of children are experiencing these challenges in parts of our world seems wrong and unfair. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do other than donate to causes that help ensure these children are getting the resources they need to survive. My life is driven by early childhood education and I am constantly thinking of ways to help my children learn and succeed. My personal and professional insights merge in this regard, because when I am influenced by something personally, it reflects in my professional life. I obviously want the best for all children in the world, but can only do so much with what’s been made available to me. Even though I cannot be in these war-torn areas, the plight of those children will remind me to take extra care of my students and all children that I work with. I can provide resources for the children I directly work with to make sure that they are getting everything they need. There are also services in place to help children and families who lack affordable resources, and I can share that knowledge with them.

References

Cappelaere, G. (2018). Conflict in Yemen: “A living hell for children.” UNICEF. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/mena/stories/conflict-yemen-living-hell-children

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