An Analysis of Cognitive Development in Childhood Memories

I think childhood is the most happy and unstressed of my life because when I was a child, I don’t have many responsibilities like now. I can still remember some of my wonderful memories but most of them were my mom tell me. She said that one times she get shocked because of what I said and this incident happened when I was 6 months baby. My grandfather died in an car accident and that time I was just born. My dad always show me my grandfather picture so that I will know my grandpa exist before I born. One night, I make a babbling sound and seem like want to tell my mom that I saw grandpa just now. “ What ?Really?Where ?” She astounded. Then, I pointed a picture of my grandpa that is hanging on the wall. My mom take a sigh of relief as she thought I saw grandpa’s soul. Beside of my baby communication, at that period of time I learnt everything so fast and my mom said I was a quick learner. From crawling to my parents help me pulled up to a standing position then to stand firmly on my leg by my own, I just use several months to learnt it. And one of the important thing is I stop using diaper when I was 1 years old my mom proud of it a lot because I know where should I go if I want to “poopoo”. According to Piaget’s (1970) theory of cognitive development that was introduced in chapter 2, the growth of intelligence during infancy is based on sensorimotor adaptation. Babbling and communication with gestures both also an action to get my mom attention to notice the object that I want to show.

At the age of 5, it was under the pre-operational stage of cognitive development that state by Jean Piaget. At that time, I start to learn drawing maybe is because my mom bought me a set of color pencils that I desired long time ago. So I must use that brand new color pencils else my mom will say I wasting her money to buy all useless stuff. I remember they all so happy when I successfully draw a family portrait although now I look back the drawing book, we all look like dinosaurs. It was another incident that happened related about drawing. In kindergarten, I like to talk and make friends with all my classmates Remember one time, my little friend and I naughty and “innocent”. We draw graffiti on the wall by permanent marker pen. Got star shape, diamond shape, little sun and a big round moon. We thought teacher will praise us because we are good at drawing. However, what both of us get was a parent meeting with the kindergarten ‘s principal. Now I look back on this and that all seem so funny.

The third stage, concrete operational thought. An individual in this stage will begin to appreciate the logical necessity of certain casual relationships. My mom sent me to a local swimming course when I was 8. She want me to prepare myself in case I accidentally fall into water or in trouble in the water. As usual, I was naughty and not listen what people say at all. I remember at that time during swimming class, the swimming coach still teach all of us simple technique which same like last time he taught. I was impatient and really can't wait to learn next step so while the couch is teaching all of my friends,I swim to the another side alone. I thought all the area was same depth as what I stand at the original place but I wrong. Once I stop swimming, my feet can't touch the ground and my head was under the water then I realized I swim to the adult swimming area. I really anxiety because I can't breathe.Luckily, my couch saw me and grab me up of the pool immediately. After that incident, I literally follow what couch said from A to Z. Other than the “drowning” incident, actually I make a lot of “boy”friends at the swimming class. It might mix more easily during playtime and not like now so sensitive about opposite gender friends. At that time, incident like “Omg, he accidentally touch my hand, is him interested to me ?” “He look at me and smile, he likes me ?” will not happen. It was so pure and play together without overthinking. Sometimes,really miss the good times of the past.

The final stage of cognitive development,formal operational thought. It begins in adolescence and persists through adulthood. This level of thinking permits an individual to conceptualize about many simultaneously interacting variable. It allows for the creation of a system of laws or rules that can be used for problem solving. (Piaget, 1978)12 years old was a turning point of my life. I started my period and I know it was a sign that I was getting closer to become a women. Finally I have a same thing to worry and topic to talk with my friends because most of them have their menstruation earlier than me. Furthermore, I started concern about my body image, started to focus on good looking, started token a long hair because I know I gonna leave the small world of elementary school to the big world of middle school. 2013, is the fist big challenge in my life. The big test - Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah was waiting for me to pass through it. That years, I also focus on what I had learn in the school because I don't want to make my parent disappointed and worry about me. Although at the end, the result was not flying color,straight A like my friend did, but I was satisfied with it. Success in life was not determined by exam result but attitude, I will not giving up because I know there were much more challenges that I had to face in the future.