When we take good look at the families around us today it's clear they are diverse. There's an increase in single-parent, gay and lesbian, grandparent, blended family, and nontraditional households. It's clear that the family plays a huge role in a child's development. That being said, think about your childhood and your family. Who and what were you surrounded by, impacted by?

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of child development. Count the number of "Assets" you experienced as a child (note that some assets are related to the child's internal attitudes and behaviors and others assets are related to external elements of the child's world). After you count your experienced assets, post your number of assets and your reaction to your selected assets.

Based on what you've learned, do you think the number of assets someone has affects their overall development? Why or why not?

Do you think understanding child development can make someone a more effect parent, caregiver, and/or professional working with children? Please explain your answer.