If a child is left alone to educate themselves on the lessons of life, they will begin to learn how to be their own guardian. If one 's parents have a high-demanding occupation or abandon them all together, children will learn how adulthood plays itself out. From paying bills, to knowing the difference between laundry detergent and fabric softener, all lessons will be self-taught. These are a special case of children, because although their outside may read twelve years old, their mentality registers as an average twenty-five year old. Although some see isolation as the worst thing a child can endure, many could argue that it is a blessing, due to the fact that it allows a child to become independent.“Child neglect is defined as a type of maltreatment related to the failure to provide needed, age-appropriate care. Unlike physical and sexual abuse, neglect is usually typified by an ongoing pattern of inadequate care and is readily observed by individuals in close contact with the child” (“Child Neglect” 1). Relying on oneself is something that many people wish they knew how to do, but knowing how to do this during the pubescent years of a child or teen life is beyond awful. Levels of neglect reached 62.8 percent in 2005, which shows why certain children and teens are beginning to reach maturity faster than their …show more content…
Robert Keegan an American Psychologist , author, and Professor of Adult Learning and Professional Development at Harvard Graduate School of Education describes children to go through five or more stages to achieve what many consider, social maturity. These five steps are labeled as Incorporative, Impulsive, Imperial, Interpersonal, and Institutional. When people are first born and brought into the world, comprehending society is a minimal thing and something that takes work. Many do not remember these stages occurring early in their life but are now successful at communicating and establishing relationships in adulthood. It is quite a talent that humans have created that allows growth, development and progression. This gift continues in present day as people proceed to learn more about the things that surround them. Although, gaining maturity seems like a foreign concept to many, it is important to remember that this idea is natural to grasp. The lessons that students often obtain in schools help them with this process, it also allows the children to grow beyond the first simple teachings. Dr. Robert Kegan often shares his opinion on this pressing topic, stating that growth is something required in our present day society. “For many people, social maturity seems to stop here at the Institutional stage. Kegan himself writes that this stage is the stage of conventional adult maturity; one that many (but not all) adults reach, and beyond which most do not progress.