Unit 8: The Human Life Cycle | Video
Transcript:
The Human Life Cycle
SPEAKER 1: We may all look different and act different, have different goals and different dreams, but we are all going through the same changes.
SPEAKER 2: From infancy through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, people continue to develop in common ways, reaching similar milestones. The important events in our lives, from walking, to talking for the first time, to making friends and raising families, we all travel a similar path.
SPEAKER 1: But that doesn't mean that we all experience change in the same way. We learn, grow, and develop at our own pace. So we thought we'd go out and talk to our peers today and find out some of the milestones that they've met, and those they look forward to in the future, and what they think is the hardest part about growing up.
STUDENT 1: I got my first zit when I was 12. It was right here on my chin. Is that a milestone?
STUDENT 2: I was an early talker. Apparently as a baby I would just not shut up, just constantly babbling. Blah, blah, blah. I guess some things you just never really grow out of. Which reminds me of a time when my parents took me to the mall to see Santa Claus, right? And so, then there was this giant candy cane and it was made out of plastic. And so, I ran up to it and I thought, "I'm going to try this." And it was the worst thing I've ever tasted.
STUDENT 3: It took forever for me to learn how to tie my shoes. I remember wearing VELCRO clear through middle school.
STUDENT 4: Potty training? Trust me. You do not want to go there.
STUDENT 5: I just started shaving my legs just last year. It's a wonder I haven't bled to death.
STUDENT 6: I wax, actually. It's painful. But totally worth it.
STUDENT 4: Chest hair. I mean, there's only like three of them...but they're clearly visible.
STUDENT 1: I grew 2 inches last year. It can be kind of awkward. But on the plus side, I got to go buy a whole new wardrobe.
STUDENT 7: I'm definitely getting grounded more than I used to.
SPEAKER 1: So, thinking about the stage of life you're in right now being a teenager, what's the hardest part about this stage of life, about growing up?
STUDENT 2: I think it's just hard trying to fit in. When we're younger, it doesn't really matter how liked we are or if we're popular. But the moment we become teenagers, it's like that's all that matters. Why is that?
STUDENT 8: I'm trying really hard to get along with my parents.
STUDENT 5: Stress. I'm not sure adults realize how much stress we have.
STUDENT 6: Definitely. School. Homework. Chores. Clubs. My Job.
STUDENT 5: Homework.
STUDENT 6: I just said that.
STUDENT 5: Yeah, but there's a lot of it.
STUDENT 3: You know, I'd have to say girls.
STUDENT 1: Boys.
STUDENT 3: I just don't understand them.
STUDENT 1: They just won't grow up.
STUDENT 3: And yet, I can't stop thinking about them.
STUDENT 1: And they're always thinking about the same thing.
STUDENT 7: Sometimes it's hard to make the right call. I think that there are a lot of times when what you want to do and what you should do don't match up. Either way, you feel like you lose.
SPEAKER 2: So then, what are you most looking forward to in the future? Have you thought about any upcoming life events?
STUDENT 2: Graduating high school. Getting into college. Getting a job...maybe not the job part.
STUDENT 3: All I know is I don't ever want to get married. (STUDENT 1 jabs him) What?!
STUDENT 5: Raising a family. I definitely want to have kids of my own someday.
STUDENT 6: And a nanny.
STUDENT 5: Yeah. A really good nanny. One who knows how to cook.
STUDENT 7: The thing I'm looking forward to most? Just being on my own for a change. The day I move out. Making all of my own decisions.
STUDENT 4: Taking over the world. I don't know.
STUDENT 1: I mean, it's hard to think about. I know I should. But to be honest, I'm just trying to be myself, and learn and grow, and have fun along the way. I guess that's life.
SPEAKER 1: We will all face moments in our lives when we need to make decisions that will impact us for the rest of our lives. Understanding more about the human life cycle and the stages of life can help us to make smarter choices that will lead to a healthier and more rewarding future.
SPEAKER 2: Think about the milestones in your own life, what you've already accomplished and what you'd like to reach. And consider these questions as you explore further.