Week 3

Ian Mahoney – Week Three

Ian is now 3 ½. It has been 2 years since Leila had learned of Phil’s death, and she knew that her life would never be the same. It’s a good thing she had Tyler – she could see Phil in his eyes everyday, and he had Phil’s kindness, particularly when it came to Ian. Leila was in her early 30s and still had her life ahead of her. She had been spending a lot of time on Facebook, reconnecting with high school friends.    

* What are the major developmental milestones for a 3 ½ year old? What should Ian be doing physically, cognitively, and emotionally at this point?

* Does Leila receive survivor’s benefits if Phil was in the National Guard? Do the children receive any survivor’s benefits?

* What else is important for you to know about Ian’s family at this point? (Hint: Think about all that you don’t currently know about the family that could be helpful for you with regard to demographic *information.)un

DECISION POINT: Does Leila begin to date?

Week 2

Ian Mahoney – Week Two

Ian was now 9 months of age, and he had only seen his father through a computer on Skype.  When he did, he just stared blankly at the image. Leila missed Phil terribly and worried every day about his safety. He assured her that everything was fine, and that he really wasn’t ever in danger. He was mostly working on “support,” ferrying supplies back and forth and so on. He felt certain he would be home in time for Ian’s first birthday. It was hard for Leila knowing that Ian did not yet know his father. For some reason, she had a terrible fear that he may never know him.

* Write a developmentally appropriate narrative of the conversation you would have with Tyler about his new brother.

* What are the major developmental milestones for a 9-month old? What should a 9-month old be doing physically, cognitively, and emotionally at this point?

* Is Ian likely to bond with his father at all? Why or why not? Support your position with information from the literature regarding early child development and how infant-parent attachment occurs.

DECISION POINT

* Does Tyler generally accept his new brother? What is the nature of his reaction to Ian?

For the first post, each group will learn some information about each person’s family of origin. This should aid each group in beginning to imagine their respective adoptee. While some of the information may at first appear to be unrelated to our subject of study, life-span issues for individuals with disabilities, fear not. It will all make sense as we move through the semester. 

Ian Mahoney – Week One

It was always a risky proposition. Bringing a child into the world under these circumstances, that is. Leila knew that Phil could get called up at any time, but she still thought they could be a family. Even if he was half a world away. Little Tyler was almost 3, and they had managed for this long without Phil having to go. But there were rumblings about a new policy that would put guardsmen into active combat. Leila tried to ignore the rumblings as the couple prepared to welcome their second child – Ian – into the world. Then, just a month before Ian was due, Phil got the call. He was to report in 3 weeks to be deployed for an undetermined amount of time.

   

     What resources are available to assist individuals like Phil and Leila?

What percentage of individuals in the armed forces have children?

What is the percentage of marriages that continue through deployment?