I would like for you to step outside of yourself for the purposes of this assignment. I am asking that instead, you step into the world of a child. However, you are not stepping into the world of an ordinary child, but one whose world has been marked by mental and emotional turmoil and distress. I am asking that you write a 300 word essay, poem, or any other free association piece about a child whose world you have agreed to live in for one day. I would like for you to use the title “Through My World: A Life in the Day with __________. This blank space should be filled with any DSM V childhood disorder (depression, schizophrenia etc…) or event of your choosing (loss, divorce etc…). There are really no requirements for this assignment except your ability to demonstrate your knowledge of the disorder or the event and its’ social/emotional impact on the child. These effects may look differently at different developmental stages/ages, so take that into consideration when you are writing your piece.

Please be mindful that this assignment is not your typical academic paper. This is requiring you to suspend your textbook knowledge for a moment and step into the emotional and mental life of another. While this will require a strong foundation of the concepts we have covered in this course, your goal is to step into the shoes of another AND to allow the reader an understanding of your struggle as a wounded child. This piece MUST be written in first person (from the perspective of the child). If you wait until the last minute to tackle this assignment, it will show in the quality of your work. Please take time to think about this, do the necessary research to understand your chosen disorder/event and reflect meaningfully on what you choose.