How do childhood experiences affect adulthood? The essay on this page discusses this question.
Introduction
Childhood experiences are the ordeals or bringing up conditions one undergoes through as a child. These experiences could be emotional, psychological, physical, cultural or even sexual. Childhood experiences play a significant role in shaping our views as adults in many ways, for instance, the way we behave, thinking, feel, act, associate and many other ways.
Psychological experiences
To begin with, a child who never had time to interact with other kids or locked up during his/her childhood will portray anti-social behaviors. Children who never experienced love from their parents and other family members will depict irresponsible behaviors in adulthood, as they are unable to express the same feelings. Contrary, a child who experienced affection from the parents will feel the need to act the same way as their parents did.
Cultural Experiences
Secondly, culture experiences also play a role in shaping a person. A cultural environment where black is a symbol of evil will affect the feeling of an adult towards black skinned people. Some cultural experiences have men as superior and women inferior. This culture, therefore, shapes a girl child to a submissive woman.
Physical and emotional experiences
Thirdly, a child who experienced physically and emotionally understanding relationship with parents and other siblings can express out his/her feelings in a relaxed and positive. On the other hand, physically and emotionally abusive and hostile family experiences shape a child to a criminal, as he will act violently to confront situations. Lastly, sexual experiences affect how adults behave, view and feel about sex. Sexually abused children view sex as evil and shy away from it in adulthood (Duck, p.46).
Conclusions
How adults feel, behave, and view this is generally out of childhood experiences.
Positive experiences bear positives traits while negative experiences comprise adult well-being. It is therefore essential for parents or guardians to provide necessary conditions for positive experiences.
Works Cited
Duck, Steve. Human Relationship. London, UK: SAGE Publication Ltd. 2007. Print.
