parenting syles

Attention to every stage of a child’s physical, emotional and educative development is “both critical and vital” (Alison Dunn, 2004). Research shows that the care young children receive has dramatic long-term effects on how children develop and learn, how they cope with stress, and how they react to the world around them. “Science tells us that consistently positive and stimulating experiences in their early years helps children’s brains to grow” (Frank Oberklaid, 2008); it can also affect how they continue to learn later on in life.

This paper will discuss how a child’s development is influenced by environmental and cultural influences as well as parenting styles and education. This will be argued through four topics including environmental factors such as the socio economic environment in which a child is reared into, cultural influences, the effect of the four different parenting styles and how education from both the parent and teacher can also play a significant role.

Environmental Factors

There are many environmental factors that influence a child's early years of development (George G. Graham, 1972, pp. 1184-1188) For example issues such as the type of physical environment that a child is bought up within can impact on the development of that child. These factors, broadly divided into two areas, include their socio-economic status and state of the physical environment they grow up within.

The socio-economic status of the immediate family and the wider community can have either a “positive or detrimental” (Understanding the Early Years, 1999) influence on the individuals development. For example research has shown that children brought up with parents that are poor and have limited educational qualifications will have children who follow a very similar path (Stephany Seipe, 2010). One only needs to look at the Western Australian Education system for evidence of this. The Department of Education and Training and TISC have produced research that has indicated that children from low socio economic areas on average have far fewer students that enter university. The reason for this is that these parents have no previous experience with higher education and often don’t value this education in the same way parents from affluent areas do, hence the children do not have the role models to follow. Many of these families also do not have the finances to access school of choice and provide resources within the home that may enhance their development. Many of these parents also lack their own educational knowledge that allows them an understanding of how a child’s development processes. A simple example of this may be the fact that these parents may not understand the value of early intervention with developmental processes such as reading (How Kids Develop, 2008) i.e. simply reading to them each night.

The economic status of a child’s wider community also can have an effect on their development. The presence or lack of facilities within a community are often related to the prosperity of this wider community. Facilities such as hospitals, childcare centres, medical centres, child health organisations, access to parks, gardens and sporting centres etc all combine to form either a positive or negative influence.

Access to basic needs such as food and shelter are not as readily available for some children, the lack of these essential elements can impact on a child’s development.

Some countries have the full range of prosperity, from the very poor to the very affluent. An example of this would be India, other countries such as Denmark would have less divisions of prosperity (Legatum Prosperity Index, 2009).

As such the physical environment a child is born into can have either a positive or negative influence on their development.

Cultural Influences
Cultural influences, like environmental factors, can play a significant part in a child’s development. Parenting young children while migrating to another county can be very hard. Parents must deal with caring for children and the children’s experience of migration, as well as their own difficulties and experiences (Raising Children Network, 2011) These experiences may be extremely emotional and may include; dealing with language difficulties and feeling isolated because it’s hard to communicate, experiencing grief and a sense of loss from being separated from family/friends, culture and identity, feeling frustrated at not being able to find employment or a job to utilise their qualifications or skills, finding it difficult to find assistance, support and services within the new community, struggling to cope financially, hopeless or overwhelmed at such an enormous life change, to the point where it becomes too much and they develop a mental illness. A parent’s ability to deal with these challenges affects how well they’re able to care for their children. A parent who is suffering emotionally and who is depressed and unhappy will be less able to respond to their child’s needs or emotional difficulties. If parents are anxious or there is major disruption, the child may develop behaviour problems (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008)
Language barriers may also cause disruption to a child’s development (Oleg Mitiukhin, 2011). Not being able to communicate with others as a child may in turn create a child who is quiet and socially withdrawn. Socialising will help develop skills and habits necessary for participating within society (Child Development Guide, 2011), this is why being able to communicate with other children and peers is an immensely important factor in a child’s development.
Parenting Styles
As well as cultural influences different parenting styles can have impact on how a child develops. By observing parents interact with their children Diana Baumrind (Clinical and Developmental Psychologist) was able to develop four different types of parenting; authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved child rearing.
Authoritative parenting is the most successful approach (Laura E Berk, 2011). Baumrind suggests that these parents "monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. An authoritative parenting style is a much more independent one with a directness and eagerness to respond and react to a child’s questions. When a child breaks the rules or doesn’t live up to the expectations of the parent, an authoritative style would focus more on forgiveness and support than assigning a punishment (Laura Smith, 2011).
These parents create obvious and clear restrictions and keep an eye on them. They are influential rather than aggressive, and while the restrictions and expectations are firmly set, there is still room for the child to move within those parameters and develop his/her independence.
The disciplinary style of this approach is encouraging instead of penalising. These kind of parents still want their children to achieve something, but they also want them to be socially responsible, self-sufficient and supportive to others. An authoritative parenting style tends to produce knowledgeable, successful and happy children (Dr. F. Elahi, 2010, p. 16)
In an authoritarian household, children are given a strict set of rules, which they would be expected to obey. If these rules were not followed, a punishment would be given. According to Baumrind, these parents "are obedience - and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation.” An authoritarian parenting style does not allow room for questioning the rules and does not explain them. Parents place high demands on their children and are not responsive to them. Effects of an authoritarian parenting style can be children who are obedient and competent, good at following rules, but they rated lower in the areas of self-esteem, social skills and happiness, and were more likely to be aggressive.
Permissive parents are more likely to indulge their children and less likely to discipline them. They make very few demands on their children as their expectations of them are few.
Baumrind’s study found that a permissive parenting style is one more responsive than demanding.
Permissive parents are more likely to reward children, despite bad behavior, in order to avoid a confrontation. Permissive parents are usually nontraditional and tolerant of different behaviors as they do not require or expect a certain maturity level from their children.
These parents believe the key to their child's heart is to relate to their child as a peer instead of as a parent. One of the problems with permissive parenting is that children do need healthy limits and expectations not only to learn appropriate behavior for functioning as a member of society but also to feel valued and cared for. Often, over time, children of permissive parents suffer a loss in self esteem because there is no one to ask about their grades in school or help them with homework.
And finally uninvolved parents are slow to respond to their children, make few demands of them, and generally have little communication. While the basic needs of the child are met, the parent-child bond is weak, and it is these parents who are most likely to be guilty of neglect in extreme cases.
Sadly for their children, these types of parents are usually struggling to manage their own neglected childhoods, lacking personal, financial and supportive help for themselves, often the result of their own toxic parenting. They tend to lack self-esteem and the ability to regulate themselves; as a result, they are less capable than other children.
Education
Apart from the above major determinants, education can vastly persuade how they learn and develop. School affects a child's development in many different ways (Sarah Lipoff, 2010). Going to school is a stimulating journey for young children. Whether it's preschool or kindergarten, there are aspects of getting an education that don't include learning to read and write. Children go through various stages of learning and development, and education is important at each step of the process.
Often educators refer to parents as the child's first and best teacher. Parental participation has a positive effect on a child's school experience. When parents are directly involved with their child's education, the child usually has higher academic achievement and better social interactions with others. Research shows that parental involvement in their children’s learning positively affects the child’s academic performance (Fan &ump; Chen, 2001) in both primary and secondary schools (Feinstein &ump; Symons, 1999)
School helps form a complete child by supporting physical development. Educational systems help children develop fine or unlikable motor skills. Schools offer children an outlet for physical group play through recess as well as organised physical activities through physical education class.
Children trial and experiment with social skills at school, allowing them to learn and understand social skills necessary for later life in life. An education is essential to early childhood academic development. Children who receive schooling at an early age are more likely to stay in school, and those children perform better later in academics.
Conclusion
This paper has presented an argument on how a child’s development is strongly influenced by environmental and cultural influences as well as parenting styles and education.
Research shows that children brought up with parents who live in a low socio economic environment usually have limited educational qualifications and may have children who follow a very similar path.
Parents of different cultural backgrounds can experience a wide range of cultural and emotional issues that can be very different to their usual experiences in life. These differences can cause a sense of confusion and stress within the family unit. An unhappy and anxious parent will be less able to respond to their child’s developing or emotional needs, and this will in turn have an effect on the emotional, social and educational development of the child.
The four different parenting styles alters the way in which a child develops. Authoritative parenting style tends to produce knowledgeable, successful and happy children (Dr. F. Elahi, 2010, p. 16). Whereas the authoritarian parenting style can produce children that are obedient and competent but rate lower in the areas of self-esteem, social skills and happiness, and are more likely to be aggressive. The permissive parenting style does not involve following through with consequences for unacceptable behavior, these children will think they can get away with average effort, can be angry and demanding when they don't get their way. Children of uninvolved parents tend to lack self-esteem and the ability to regulate themselves; as a result, they are less capable and resilient than other children.

An education is essential to early childhood academic development. Children who receive schooling at an early age are more likely to stay in school, and those children perform better later with academia.