Guide to Parenting and Basic Child Development

Adrian QuintanaSOC312 Child Family & SocietyInstructor BaezFebruary 10, 2014

You’re a new parent, now what?

Every new parent wishes there was some sort of handbook to tell them how to raise their children. Sadly, no one has been brave enough to tackle that task, but there are plenty of sociological and developmental theories to give you a basic idea of what to expect and how to handle things. This slide show will share some of this information, plus advice on childcare, technology, self-esteem, and outside influences on your child’s life.

We all want the best for our children…

When a parent reflects on the future they want for their child, I can almost always guarantee that they want their child to exude:• Self confidence• Motivation• Positive Morals and Values• Social Skills• A Strong Cultural Identity• The Ability to Regulate Feelings and Emotions

(Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012)Let’s start with the basics of socialization…

Bronfrenbrenner’s Ecological Model

(King's College London, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery n.d.)

Bronfrenbrenner Explained

Bronfrenbrenner’s Ecological Model explains children's development visually by using different “rings” or interlocking systems of socialization that affect an individual. • Microsystems: Family, School, Neighborhoods,

Religious and Group Affiliations• Mesosystems: Interactions between two

microsystems.• Exosystems: Funding for Schools, Availability of

Legal Aid, After-School Programs, Social Programs, The Economy

• Macrosystems: Cultural Context, Societal Beliefs, Societal Values

• Chronosystems: Show how historical events can effect other systems.

Parenting StylesThere are three parenting styles outlined by Diana Baumrind, a developmental psychologist:• Authoritarian• Authoritative• Permissive (Bojczyk, Shriner,

& Shriner 2012)

Authoritative Parenting Style

• Authoritative parents are very affectionate and warm, but still give them individual freedom (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012).

• They also communicate their expectations clearly, yet give their child the opportunity to meet those expectations in a mature, independent way.

• In my opinion, authoritative parenting is a happy medium that includes both high degrees of responsiveness and demand.

TechnologyTechnology, although not human,

has become part of most children's microsystems (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012). This is because of the fact that it is in a child’s everyday routine, so it has a great influence on their lives.

Positive Ways to Use Technology

• Use parental locks and limit screen time (U.S. National Library of Medicine 2014).

• Try to use mainly educational media.

• Turn television watching into a family activity.

Self-ConceptSelf-Concept is how an individual distinguishes their own identity from others, so naturally knowing one’s own culture will influence this self-concept (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012. It’s important, especially as adoptive parents, to teach your child about their own culture and ethnicity. Some ways to do this include: o Find literature that reflects on your child’s

culture or ethnicity and share it with them (Hawley, Irvine, & Landa n.d.)

o Include your culture’s traditions in your own family life. Celebrate your culture’s holidays.

Self-Esteem and Attitude

All parents want their children to have a positive attitude and self-esteem. We want our child to feel capable while felling loved. There are many ways to help your child develop their own self-esteem, like:

• Stay involved in your child’s interests, encouraging them when they fail, and celebrating when they succeed (New 2012).

• Try to express to your child that they have many strengths, rather than hyper focusing on one specific goal or achievement (New 2012).

Importance of Socialization at Home

and School• Two of the largest components of a child’s

microsystem include their home and school surroundings.

• Parents are basically their child’s first teachers, so naturally they play a large role in children’s socialization. Parenting styles are influenced by several factors, and each parent is different (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012).

• “…Teachers play a critical role in shaping children's cognitive, emotional, and social development (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012).”

Teacher’s Role • According to Supporting

Children’s Socialization, children of elementary school age spend more time with their teachers at school than with their parents at home (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012).

• Teachers create their own set of rules for conduct and have their own style of enforcing rules and encouraging students.

• School policies also greatly influence how a teacher does business.

Peer Interactions• Your child is most likely going

to develop relationships with their peers very quickly upon coming into contact with them- we as human beings are social creatures.

• Your child’s peers are influenced mainly by where you choose to take them- playgroups, child-care centers, hobbies or activities you participate them, neighborhood children, family members, etc (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner 2012).

How to Make Friends• Teaching your child the basics of social interaction

might help them make friends in the future.

• Help your child understand how to be friendly, honest, how to share, be kind, and be selfless by talking to them about it and playing with them yourself (Efird n.d.).

• Set up ways for your child to practice social interaction by setting up time for them to play with others. Play dates and extracurricular activities are great ways to introduce your child to new people (Efird n.d.).

References• Bojczyk, K. E., Shriner, B. M., & Shriner, M. (2012). Supporting children’s

socialization: A developmental approach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

• Efird, J. (n.d.). Helping your child make new friends. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/social/make-new-friends/

• Hawley, W., Irvine, J. J., & Landa, M. (n.d.). Culture in the classroom. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://www.tolerance.org/culture-classroom

• King's College London, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery. (n.d.). Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://keats.kcl.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/737715/mod_resour ce/content/1/page_07.htm

• New, M. (2012, March). Developing your child's self esteem. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/ parent/emotions/feelings/self_esteem.html#

• U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2014, February 3). Screen time and children. Retrieved from National Institutes of Health website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/ patientinstructions/000355.htm