Parenting Skills

Review Questions
1. What are the job responsibilities of a parent?
- The job responsibilities of a parent include being financially able to provide for a child. This includes food, shelter, clothing, health care, as well as other luxuries such as extra-curricular activities and electronics.
2. What are the differences between being a biological parent, an adoptive parent, and a foster parent?
- The differences are as follows: Biological parents are the actual parents that the child came from; the birth mother and father. An adoptive parent is a person who assumes the role of a biological parent and raises the child as if it were their own. A foster parent takes care of a child for a period of time depending on the children’s circumstances, and may assume the role of the adoptive parent if they choose to do so.
3. What are some of the different parenting styles that families use?
- Authoritarian Style: Parents are the absolute authority, and there is no arguing with the parent’s decisions. These parents believe that respect for authority will instill a strong moral character. Academic achievement varies.
- Permissive Style: Parents have a laid-back approach. Decisions are largely up to the children’s own discretion. These children usually achieve lower grades and engage in dangerous behaviors.
- Democratic Style: A happy medium; both parents and children are encouraged to voice their needs and opinions, although the parent usually has final say in the matter. These children typically lead to the highest level of academic achievement out of the three groups.
4. What needs might a child have that a parent would need to provide?
- Needs that a child may have are financial needs, safety and security, emotional needs, educational needs, and discipline.
5. What are the qualities of a nurturing parent?
- The qualities of a nurturing parent are being able to provide the necessary support for their child, being able to empathize with their child, enforcing disciplinary action, and developing an understanding of the child’s physical, academic, social, and emotional needs.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. What qualities make a person a good parent? A bad parent?
- Some qualities of a good parent are being able to financially support the child; enforcing rules, discipline, and curfews; and being a nurturing parent.
- Qualities of a bad parent include neglecting a child’s needs, not showing proper discipline, and not properly nurturing the child.
2. What financial needs are parents obligated to provide for? Which are optional?
- Parents are obligated to provide food, shelter, clothing, and health care. Optional luxuries include extra-curricular activities, toys and/or electronics, and postsecondary education.
3. Which parental responsibilities do you think would be the most challenging? Why?
- I think that the most challenging parental responsibility would be enforcing disciplinary action. This is because there are so many different ways to discipline a child, and learning this skill comes with experience.
4. Which parental responsibilities do you think would be the most interesting to you? Why?
- The parental responsibility that would be the most interesting to me would be deciding what kind of schooling my child would have. This would be interesting to me, because I want my child to have the best education possible. I think it would be exciting to explore the many ways to educate my child.
5. What are some things that people can do to prepare for parenthood?
- Some things parents can do to prepare for parenthood are saving money, planning the pregnancy (if possible), and laying out a plan that they wish to follow when raising their child.